The 7th Mother Daughter Book Club
by brittfiction
Summary: The girls are going to Hong Kong this year! This is a continuation of Heather Vogel Frederick's MDBC series. All credit goes to her except what I created. Frequently called The 7th MDBC for short. Updated every Tuesday and some Fridays.
1. Dancing Queens

**This is my first fanfiction and I'm super excited!**

Megan

It's been three weeks since Gigi's wedding, and that was about the most exciting thing that's happened in pokey old Concord so far.

Although, one bright side to my boring life for the last few weeks is Simon.

As it turns out, the Berkeleys enjoyed Concord so much that they bought a vacation home here, and are staying for the summer.

We've had a lot of fun, but still, I wish something exciting could happen.

Suddenly, the intercom crackles and I hear my mother's voice.

"Megan, your friends are here." I hear a stomping up the stairs as my friends flood into my room. I eye Cassidy's Red Sox shirt in disgust.

"What's up with you?" Cassidy looks at me, her hand on her hips.

I just sigh. "I'm so bored-and you have that shirt on."

"Hey!" Cassidy says, "This shirt rocks!" She strikes a pose, leaving the rest of us laughing.

We all pile downstairs and gather in the living room. Mrs. Hawthorne starts the conversation.

"Well girls, we mothers were talking," she starts as Emma groans.

"This is bound to be bad." Emma says, and we all nod in agreement.

"Well, Emma Jane Hawthorne," Mrs. Hawthorne says a bit huffily, "we were just discussing about the next book we're going to read, and, well a little bit of a surprise."

Mrs. Sloane-Kinkaid speaks up. As usual, she's dressed to a T. A slim, layered top, white designer capris, and strappy sandals.

She's also fixed her hair a little bit, and it cascades down her shoulders in this perfect way.

I glance at my straight, dark hair reproachfully. I wish my hair was like that. Mrs. Sloane-Kinkaid looks at me.

"Megan! I absolutely adore that dress you're wearing. Is it another Wong original?"

I smile, and nod. "It's from this fabulous silky fabric Gigi got for me."

Mrs. Sloane-Kinkaid nods approvingly. I smile. "Well, then I suppose its time for you to learn what book we'll be reading. You guys have met Louisa May Alcott, L.M. Montgomery, Jean Webster, Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, and many other authors. We mothers all decided that you should meet another author, Dorothy Canfield Fisher and her book _Understood Betsy_."

Mrs. Wong distributes the books. Cassidy riffles through hers. "Wow!" We all fake gasp. Emma stares at hers.

She says, slowly, "_Understood Betsy_? How come I've never read this?"

Mrs. Hawthorne looks at her apologetically. "Well, its never really come across my mind that it was something that you'd like, dear. Not until now, of course." Emma looks depressed.

"I've missed out on so much!" she says, scanning the author's biography and reading the first page.

We all grab for her book, but Cassidy is the only one who succeeds in grabbing it and yanks it away. She turns to Emma, "Come on Hawthorne, let's discuss the surprise."

As if on cue, Gigi walks in with Edouard following her. She's holding a handful of what look like paper slips. "Girls! Surprise! You all are coming to Hong Kong!"

All the mother's gasp, except for Mrs. Sloane-Kinkaid, and my mother, who looks like the cat who ate the canary.

_We're going to Hong Kong!_

I look around at my friends, who are practically hyperventilating and screaming at the top of their lungs.

My mother starts to speak, "We were thinking of inviting all of you to Hong Kong to see the sights, and how Gigi used to live."

Mrs. Sloane-Kinkaid chips in. "And Wolfgang thought it was a wonderful idea, and he got us some tickets to a fashion show, but guess what? Its called _Megan Wong. _They'll be showcasing all of Megan's designs!"

I am surprised and thrilled at the same time. I squeal, "I can't believe it. My designs are being showcased in Hong Kong!"

"And it gets even better," Mrs. Sloane-Kinkaid adds, "Y'all are going to be the models!"

Becca squeals. "It'll be like in seventh grade, Megan."

"No, Becca, it'll be so much better." I smile at her.

While my friends are talking excitedly in the corner, our mothers are busy thanking Gigi and celebrating.

They're dancing around the room, whooping and hollering like teenagers. After everybody settles down, Gigi says, "Everyone had better pack your bags. We're leaving next week!"

Everyone starts dancing again, and soon our meeting ends and we all pile out the door, still ecstatic about the news. As the last goodbye fades away, I smile and head up into my room. I have some outfits to plan.

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**If you liked that, be sure to leave a review! Constructive criticism is welcome, but keep it appropriate.**

**I'm not sure if I'm going to continue it, but if enough people want it to be continued , then I will!**

**Thanks for reading, Britt**


	2. To Be Laura

Jess

I take a deep breath and open my mouth to sing.

I'm in another school play, started by some teachers from Alcott High.

It's a summer thing, and as soon as I heard about it I was over to Alcott in a second to try out. I got the part, too.

And Zach Norton is also in the play, similar to middle school, but this time I don't want to mess up.

I guess Zach won't be giving me a red rose this time, I think, laughing. I have a boyfriend now.

"Good job, Jessica." Mrs. Crawton's voice rings through the multi, where we're rehearsing on the stage. I'm playing the part of Laura Ingalls Wilder, from the Little House Series.

We're acting out the book, These Happy Golden Years, and its been interesting. Zach's playing Almanzo Wilder, and Zach's acting has improved quite a bit.

I'm surprised that Cassidy got a part though, and that she even tried out for the play, with her hockey practice and all that.

Somehow she got casted as Nellie Oleson. She thoroughly enjoys teasing Zach on stage.

I never took her as the acting type, but she doesn't have a singing part, so that's fine. She playing her part well, too.

It almost seems like she has a crush on Zach, even though she doesn't. I guess Zach kind of likes the fact that Cassidy is pretending to like him, because he still kind of likes her.

And although Cassidy won't admit it, she is completely head over heels in love with a certain Tristan Berkeley. I sigh and am jolted awake by Mrs. Crawton.

"Jessica?"

"Yes, Mrs. Crawton?"

"Let's start from Scene 1."

I open my mouth to sing, and suddenly I am Laura Ingalls, skipping along the prairie land in my calico dress, being wooed by Almanzo Wilder.

And I have to deal with Nellie Oleson, who is like how Sophie used to be.

It's really funny seeing Cassidy act though. She really has some skill-not in singing, but she's really got the acting part down.

We skip through a couple of lines and finish up the rehearsal.

Mrs. Crawton thanks the entire cast, Cassidy, Zach, me, and a ton of other kids either casted as small parts of extras.

We all leave in a rush, and as I leave I feel someone tugging on my jacket. It's Cassidy, with Zach right behind her.

"Can we ride along with you?" Cassidy asks.

I look around for Darcy and finally spot him. "Darcy! Can Cassidy and Zach ride with us?"

"Sure!" He yells back.

We all pile into the car and drive off.

Cassidy says, "Drop me off at Tristan's. We have a practice session today."

Zach gets a funny look on his face. "Tristan's in Concord?"

"Yeah," Cassidy replies, "They own a vacation house near the Hawthorne's."

"Really." Zach says.

"Yeah." Darcy, Cassidy, and I say in unison.

We pull to a stop in front to the Berkeley's house and Cassidy gets out of the car. She motions for us to come too. We walk in, and see that everyone is home.

"Hey Tristan, Simon," Cassidy, says, nodding her head in their direction. Zach, Tristan, Darcy, and Simon make small talk as Cassidy grabs her duffel. Cassidy clears her throat impatiently.

"Come on Tristan. We gotta go."

"Ok," Tristan replies, "Bye Jess." As he passes by me he gives my braid a "signature Darcy Hawthorne tug" and leaves, skates in hand.

Zach stares after him, then coolly says, "We should go." We all pile out the door and head back into Darcy's car.

We stop next at Zach's, then at Half Moon Farm, where I finally get to be alone with Darcy.

"Hey," He says softly, "You did great at the play today."

I smile. "Thanks."

"Bye Jess."

"Bye Darcy."

He kisses me on the cheek, then departs to his car and drives away.

I stand there for a little bit, and then head inside the house where my brothers are there to greet me.

They're taller than I am now, and its a bit shocking. As I pass them, they start staring down at me, because again, sigh, they're taller than me by like two inches.

They'll be growing even more soon too.

"Hi Jess!" Dylan and Ryan squeak.

"Hey guys," I smile, ruffle their hair and go inside. My mom is busily working in the kitchen and she smiles as I come by.

"Hey honey, bookclub meeting soon." My mom smiles at me. She looks tired, I can tell, because today Dylan and Ryan had no school.

"No school today! Haha!" They scream in my face as I walk out the door.

"I don't care!" I call back. I'm feeling happy as I run up into my room.

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**Review, favorite, follow!**

**Britt**


	3. Knitting

**Hello all ,**

**This is a long author's note, but I need to clarify some things from my story.**

**1\. It's kind of confusing, but Chapter 2 (Jess) doesn't mention the fashion show or Hong Kong because it hasn't happened yet.**

**2\. Also, the chapters are sequential, but not necessarily with the same people so the events might seem different, and the chapters might start with a different event. As the story gets closer to the Hong Kong trip, the chapters will start making more sense.**

**3\. I will try to update at least once a week.**

**Finally, thank you to everyone who reviewed! Keep reviewing and I will accept requests for POVs (any character) for any chapters to come.  
**

**If we can get to 20 reviews, I'll post a bonus scene about Zach's thoughts when he was on stage with Cassidy and I might update my other story, called Becca. Be sure to check that out!**

* * *

Cassidy

Dirt is on my face, my hands are covered in chicken manure, and a worm is dangling from my hair.

This is probably one of the worst days of my life. To Mrs. Chadwick, though, this is like the best thing ever.

This month was the Chadwicks' turn to host the book club, and Mrs. Chadwick ushered us to her garden as soon as we got there.

My mother's face turned from a cheerful smile to a worried frown as soon as Mrs. Chadwick told us the "great" news.

I couldn't even imagine how Queen Clementine was going to handle gardening.

Of course, Mrs. Wong was ecstatic when she heard about Mrs. Chadwick's organic gardening venture. Of the ten of us here, she is one of the few people that actually were excited about this book club meeting.

"I think that this will be an amazing opportunity for us to bond, Megan." I hear Mrs. Wong whisper to her daughter.

Megan looks annoyed. "Right, Mom. It must be blatantly obvious that I love gardening because I'm a fashion designer."

"Cheer up!" Mrs. Hawthorne tells us as she gets into Super-Mom mode. "Calliope was very nice to host this month's meeting."

"Besides," Mrs. Wong adds, "This might be fun!"

I shake my head and turn back to the planter that I'm currently working on.

Mrs. Chadwick assigned me the job of "Clean Up Crew", which basically means I'm pulling weeds.

This is the opposite of fun. The sun is out, and it's like ninety degrees outside.

I slathered myself in sunblock before I came out, and I still look like a strawberry. I think my hair is turning redder too.

My mother and I started _Understood Betsy, _but we aren't discussing it in this meeting because Mrs. Delaney is gone.

She and Mr. Delaney are in Austria right now for their anniversary. Jess has been reading the book by herself, while Mrs. Delaney reads in Austria, but we wanted to wait before we started the discussion.

Mrs. Chadwick's voice jolts me out of my thoughts. "How are you doing, Cassidy? Would you like some lemonade?"

"Sure, Mrs. Chadwick. I'm doing great." I muster a smile and grab a glass of lemonade.

A few hours later, Mrs. Chadwick tells us to come inside.

"You all have done such a good job!" Mrs. Chadwick is beaming at us.

"Well," my mother says, "Let's go on to the next part of this meeting!"

All of us nod enthusiastically. Mrs. Chadwick looks even more excited, if that is even possible. "I've planned something really special! We are all going to start a knitting club!"

Only Megan, Gigi, and my mother seem happy about this.

"Remember when you were little, Lily?" Gigi turns to Mrs. Wong. "I taught you how to knit when you were six years old."

Mrs. Wong laughs. "There's a reason why I moved to the States. I wanted to get away from fashion and knitting and start studying calculus and physics."

Mrs. Chadwick purses her lips. "Well, there's no reason why this can't be a perfectly enjoyable experience for everyone," she says stiffly, "I spent a lot of time picking out yarn for us to use."

Mrs. Hawthorne chimes in. "Of course we're all grateful for your contribution to this month's meeting, Calliope. Aren't we girls?" She gives us all the mother eye of death.

Everyone nods. Mrs. Chadwick sits back, a smile on her face.

Half an hour later, I am knitting a hot pink cowl. Knitting is not something I enjoy.

Megan, though, is happily chatting away with Gigi as her fingers fly with the needles. Her yarn ball is getting smaller and smaller, while mine seems to remain the same.

My mother is having a good time with this too, and her perfectly manicured nails move as easily as Megan's.

Even Emma and Jess are managing just fine.

It's only Becca and me that are struggling. Becca pokes herself with her needle and looks at me.

"I hate knitting," she whispers.

"Me too." I grab my yarn and try to knit some more. I only succeed in tangling my yarn and poking myself with my knitting needle.

I'm still struggling to "cast on" as my mother finishes her second hat. She lives for this kind of homebody stuff.

I, on the other hand, would much rather be skating right now. At least it'll be less painful than knitting.

When it is finally time to leave, my mother has an entire grocery bag full of things she knitted.

I have a half finished cowl.

"Well, wasn't that fun?" My mother is smiling as she fingers the scarf she just knitted.

"Yeah, it was the best thing ever." Nothing can hide the sarcasm in my voice.

"Cassidy, I know you hate ladylike stuff, but this is a great opportunity for you to get a hobby besides skating."

"What about photography?" I am in no mood to argue with my mother, but I can't help but bring it up.

"You didn't participate in the newspaper this year. You said that the Lady Shawmuts took up too much of your time." My mother looks at me reproachfully.

"Yeah, I was busy. I'm going to try to join Yearbook."

"That seems fun." My mother pulls up into our driveway, and I get out of the car, clutching my mother's bag of knitted items.

"Hey Cassidy." Stanley pats me on the back and returns to the TV where he is watching the game.

I return the hello and head up to my room. It's eleven o'clock, and I am dead tired.

As I fall asleep, I think about what my mom said.

Tomorrow I am going to rejoin the newspaper.

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**How was that? Tell me what you think and review! I haven't had a chance to read_ Understood Betsy_ yet, so I apologize if I don't weave the book into my story too soon. The book that they're reading probably won't play a big part in the story because I want to focus on what happens to the girls in Hong Kong and in school.**

**Request POVs when you review!**

**Britt**


	4. When Things Get Awkward

**Hi all,**

**Thank you for all the reviews! I know the chapters all seem random, but I wrote them so that each event happens within a couple of days of each other if that makes sense. I'm jumping around a lot with ideas and events, so bear with me until I get my plot sorted out!**

**For now, each chapter is not really central to the plot...yet. Also, please let me know. Is the drama level in this story too much or too little? I'd love some feedback.**

**Keep reviewing and thanks for reading!**

* * *

Emma

Cassidy runs to me as soon as I step in the door of Alcott High.

"Emma!" She almost barrels into me, but stops just in time. My English binder still falls out of my hand, though, and Cassidy bends over to pick it up.

"Thanks. What do you want?" I'm not sure what Cassidy could be so excited about.

"I want to rejoin the newspaper as the sports photographer."

"Really?" I am surprised. "I thought you were busy with your hockey stuff."

"Yeah, but I really like photography, so I'm rejoining."

Suddenly, I remember something else. I'm about to tell Cassidy, but the bell rings and she rushes away, her hair streaming out behind her.

There's only one complication if Cassidy rejoins the newspaper.

I'm not sure if she'll want to come back when I tell her.

I rush off to my next class in a hurry. I sit down just as the bell rings.

"Hey Emma." I see Zach Norton approach me. He sits down next to me and takes out his books.

I don't have a crush on Zach Norton anymore, but I'm almost certain Ashley does because she's glaring at me from her seat across the room.

Zach and I are friends now, and I'm glad, especially after all those years of me awkwardly crushing on him.

My history class is long and boring, and I'm certain that half the class fell asleep during the lecture.

The entire time Mr. Fonda is lecturing, I am thinking about a poem that I've wanted to write for awhile.

It's about a small waterfall that my mother and I saw last time we went hiking. The bubbling water was crystal clear and the sheer beauty of it all shocked me. I didn't know how Concord could be so stunning.

Mr. Fonda's voice snaps me out of my thoughts.

"Miss Hawthorne, will you please answer the question?"

I panic and look around, desperately trying to recall what he asked.

My life is saved by Becca. She holds up her notebook, and I see a question scrawled on it in purple ink.

I sigh in relief and mouth a thank you to her before answering the question.

Mr. Fonda looks annoyed and turns back to the board. I can almost hear the class sigh in disappointment as he continues his lecture.

When the bell rings for fourth period, Becca and I walk to our next class together.

"Thanks for saving my life today." I smile at Becca. She's a lot different than she used to be.

"Yeah, no problem," She says lightly, "You would do the same for me."

We head into science and go to our lab station.

The rest of my day drags on, and I am impatiently waiting for the final bell to ring.

Today is Pip's birthday and we're having a party to celebrate.

Megan is bring Coco, Becca is bring Yoyo, Cassidy is bringing Murphy, and Jess is bringing her two shelties, Sugar and Spice.

We spent all day yesterday baking dog treats for the dogs and cat to eat.

An hour later, all the guests show up for the party.

We invited all our families and the Berkeleys.

I bet Megan and Cassidy are excited about that.

I walk over to where Jess, Darcy, Megan, and Simon are standing.

"Hey guys. Have you seen Cassidy? I need to tell her something."

They shake their heads. Simon smirks and says, "I bet she's with Tristan."

They all start laughing, and I head off to find Cassidy.

I find her and Tristan sitting in on the bench outside. I don't want to interrupt them, so I head back in and wait for Cassidy.

Tristan and Cassidy come back in an hour later, laughing.

I don't want to spoil the mood, but I have to tell Cassidy about the photography position in the newspaper. I stop her as she's going to get punch.

"Cassidy, I need to tell you something. It's about the newspaper."

"Sure." Cassidy looks at me expectantly.

"So, about the photography position that you wanted? There's another person who is currently in the position."

"Who is it?"

"Zach Norton."

Cassidy's face turns red. I can tell she's a little shocked. From what she told us, her break up with Zach did not go well, and they're still acting weird around each other.

"Oh," she says evenly, "That's cool."

I don't want her to be any more uncomfortable, so I am quick to let her get out of it if she wants.

"If you want to decline the position, it's totally okay."

"That's fine, Emma. Zach and I need to sort some things out."

Cassidy and I walk back to the party. We're both quiet, and I know she's thinking about what I just said.

The candles are being blown out when we get to the kitchen, and everyone is cheering for Pip.

We quickly get swept up in the excitement, and I'm pretty sure Cassidy almost forgets about Zach. Almost.

When it is finally time for Cassidy to leave, she hugs me and whispers a thank you in my ear.

I nod and smile because I know how awkward it is to face your ex. I did once before with Stewart, but I'm sure Cassidy will be able to sort things out.

As Cassidy leaves, I begin to write a poem, struck by the sudden irony of this situation.

Of all of us, Cassidy has the most boyfriend problems. Who knew, all those years ago, that tomboy Cassidy Sloane would have two guys crushing on her.

I laugh at the entire thing although it's not that funny.

As I'm about to go to bed, my phone buzzes. Someone's texted me. I roll over and look at my phone.

It's Cassidy.

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**Plot twist! Cassidy and Zach awkwardness!**

**Review!**

**Britt**


	5. The Stewrat Ages

**Hello all,**

**So the drama begins! My chapters are starting to make more sense which is really good for me. :)**

**Just to clarify this chapter, it overlaps with the last one. It'll be more clear when you read it. Also, I'm sorry that it's so short. It's just a intro for the next chapter which will have all the good stuff in it.**

**Thanks for reading! Review!**

**Britt**

* * *

"How come you left me for Tristan?"

Zach is yelling at me, and I am crying and scared.

"I'm sorry Zach, I didn't mean to break your heart." My voice trails off. This sounds like a soap opera.

He glares at me. "You totally lead me on! I'm not sure what you were thinking, but you can't just date me and then break up with me as soon as Berkeley comes along!"

"I'm sorry! How was I supposed to know? I thought I liked you! I didn't know that I liked Tristan."

"Whatever." He stalks off. "We're not friends anymore."

I wake up, sweating from my nightmare. I really hope that's not how my talk with Zach is going to go. I desperately want all of this romance drama to sort itself out, but I don't think it will end that easily.

I am shivering in my bed because of the nightmare. It seemed so vivid that I thought it was real.

I am breathing heavily as I text Emma.

_C. Sloane: Help! I'm freaking out about Zach!_

_E. Hawthorne: You don't have to accept the position._

_C. Sloane: It's not that. I just need to talk to him about our break up._

_E. Hawthorne: It'll be fine. Remember when Stewart and I had that problem with Sophie?_

_C. Sloane: The Stewrat Ages? Sure._

_E. Hawthorne: Yeah, well, Stewart and I practically broke up. It was terrible._

_C. Sloane: Okay..._

_E. Hawthorne: Well, if I wasn't up front with Stewart, then I would have never known whether he wanted to date me or Sophie. That's what Zach is missing. You know, the closure of your relationship._

_C. Sloane: Thanks, love guru. I'm just worried because I thought we had closure._

_E. Hawthorne: You didn't really tell him about Tristan. He just was dumped by you, and then you started dating Tristan. It probably was a little surprising._

_C. Sloane: I guess. Ughhh! I hate love._

_E. Hawthorne: Come on, Zach's a nice guy. If you just tell him the truth, I'm sure you guys can be friends again._

_C. Sloane: I'm just really worried. What if he doesn't want to be friends?_

_E. Hawthorne: I'd love to talk more about this, but it's 2:00 a.m., and I'm tired. And if he doesn't want to be friends anymore, then who needs him?_

_C. Sloane: I guess... Bye. Talk to you tomorrow._

_E. Hawthorne: Bye._

I turn my phone off and go to bed. I hope all goes well tomorrow.


	6. Zach Norton

**Hey guys!**

**So I don't know if any of you are even here anymore, because I published this story a year ago, but I'm back! It's obviously been quite a hiatus and I apologize for that, but I have every intention of continuing to post on here because I still love the MDBC and this community. I'm going to try to update at least once every week or two weeks. I know it was bad for me to just ditch this story, but after hearing about the new MDBC book, I just couldn't help but revisit this story and now I'm addicted all over again. *sigh***

**Remember, reviews help chapters come out faster :)**

**Bye for now, Britt**

* * *

Where We Left Off: (This is my short summary of what happened so far for those of you that are too lazy to read through it again or don't remember.)

So the story starts by introducing the girls, who hopefully are pretty much the same in disposition as the originals, and how they are going to Hong Kong for their big trip as Gigi is excited to be their tour guide. Naturally, the Berkeleys are staying near the girls so Megan and Cassidy are happy, and Megan is getting her own fashion show. The other girls get to be models in it. In Chapter 2, we get a little sneak peak of Jess/Darcy's relationship, and we see very "subtle" Cassidy-Tristan-Zach love triangle. Then, we get to see a little book club love, and all the girls bond over gardening. We also learn about Cassidy's wish to rejoin the newspaper, which brings on a whole new set of problems as Zach works at the newspaper too. In the last chapter that I posted in June, Cassidy has a nightmare about Zach and texts Emma about it in the middle of the night.

Do we all remember? Yes? Ok, good. Now on to the next chapter! This chapter takes place the day after Emma and Cassidy's texting spree...

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**Cassidy**

I slam my locker shut and shoulder my backpack, giving a tiny freshman a glare as the 5 foot 4 guy bumps into me.

He stammers an apology, but I just brush it off with an impatient smile and a wave of my hand. I know I must seem like a jerk, but I'm stressed out right now.

Ever since Emma's heads up about Zach's sports photography position, I've been worrying about the talk that we're inevitably going to have.

I mean, how am I supposed to have "closure" with an ex that I might have blindsided a year ago when I thought everything was fine?

Suddenly, I hear a guy clear his throat behind me. I can feel my face turning red as I spin around on my heel. Is it Zach?

I'm met with the laughing face of Simon Berkeley, who is standing a few feet away from me, books in hand.

"You look scared, Cassidy," he says, grinning at me, "Who did you think I was?"

It doesn't take much for me to lie. "Oh, you know, I thought it was Mr. Willis or something. You know how scary he gets."

He nods, then motions for me to start walking. "Come on, we have homeroom next. We'd better walk fast."

Our homeroom is halfway across the school, so Simon and I fall into easy conversation as we amble across the grounds. Or maybe, not so easy conversation.

Simon's chattering away about his excitement for joining some of the clubs at Alcott, but his words fade into the distance as I begin to worry about Zach.

"You and Zach are friends, right?"

My sudden question surprises Simon who is mid-sentence, but he nods, giving me a confused look.

"Yeah," he says, "What does he have to do with Ms. Clemen's biology test?"

I don't think Simon or even Tristan knows the complete story behind my break up with Zach, and my discomfort grows as Simon asks the question.

"Well, to be honest, I'm considering rejoining the newspaper, and that means I have to work with Zach again. It's pretty awkward cause I'm dating your brother now, and I haven't really talked to Zach in months."

I can feel my face turn red as I face Simon.

"Wow, that's a lot to handle," he says sympathetically, then he pauses. "So you haven't talked to Zach at all."

The statement isn't phrased as a question, and I hesitate a little before answering.

"No, not since our break up."

"Well, you and Zach have to sort this issue out at some point. I mean, you can't really do much without running into him at some point, right?"

"I guess," I say, looking at him nervously, "I'm planning on talking to him after third period today anyway."

"You should," Simon says encouragingly, "Talk to him, I mean. I'm sure it would do a world of good for him."

I nod as we come to a stop in front of our homeroom class. Simon smiles at me. "If you need to talk later, I'd be happy to listen."

"Thanks, Simon," I say, smiling back at the blonde-haired boy.

My next few periods pass by quickly, and before I know it, my free period is next. Sadly, I'm not looking forward to it. Emma told me to stop by the newspaper room during my free period as that's going to be the only time I'll get to talk to Zach, and eventually my fourth period is going to become the journalism class again.

When I walk into the classroom, I'm met with a smiling Emma, who is busy editing articles on her laptop.

"Cassidy!" She motions for me to come over, and leans over to whisper in my ear. "Zach will be here in a few minutes. Are you okay with talking to him? I have to tell him about your new position before you can talk to him by yourself, by the way."

I swallow nervously. "Yeah, I'll be fine," I say, my voice light as I smile at Emma.

She narrows her eyes at me, but nods anyway. Emma and I have been friends long enough that I can tell she doesn't believe me.

"Emma! How's the article on Alcott's football win going?"

I stiffen as I hear a familiar voice call out behind me. A very familiar, masculine voice.

Taking a deep breath, I flip my hair over my shoulder and turn towards the guy standing there.

Emma rushes over before I can say anything to Zach. "Zach! Hey, could you come over here for a second, we need to talk about your position at the paper." She shoots a nervous glance at me before directing her attention to Zach.

I can hear their muffled conversation as Zach leans down to whisper to my friend.

"What the heck is Cassidy doing here?" he whispers angrily.

"Look, she wants to rejoin the paper as a sports photographer, and I'm contractually obligated to accept anyone who wants to be a part of the paper unless they engage in misconduct. Plus, Cassidy's great at her position, and we need extra help anyways."

"I'll have to work with her again, that's going to be so awkward!" Zach's voice carries out across the room, and I watch him duck his head even lower to avoid being heard.

"Look, you have two choices. You can whine about it and dredge up the past again, or you can act like a professional and work with Cassidy. You guys used to be friends, Zach, I'm sure you'll be able to handle each other for a few hours a week."

Emma gives Zach a look before dragging him over to me.

"Alright, you two. I get that this is going to be awkward for both of you, no doubt about it. But both of you are talented writers and photographers, and I expect full cooperation from both of you. If you guys aren't going to act professional, one of you are going to have to take another position or stop working on the paper and all of us don't want that to happen. Right?"

Emma pauses and waits for us to nod.

"Okay, Zach, why don't you give Cassidy the rundown of what we need to do for this week's issue," she says.

"Wait, Emma-" Zach turns towards Emma, and I watch as his voice falters. "We finished this week's issue, but that's fine."

Emma doesn't hear him at all, and pretty soon she's put in her headphones and is humming along to a new Little Mix song while editing.

It's just Zach and me now, and the tension in the air puts me on edge.

I'm the first one to speak. "I think we should talk," I mumble, before remembering something my mother said a year ago. I guess it really is time to "get my Jane on".

"Yeah," Zach says, "We can go to the back room if you want."

I follow him to the little room at the back of the classroom, and the atmosphere gets even more awkward.

I watch as he cuts a glance to the sky, then looks back down at the ground.

"Why did you break up with me, Cassidy?" Zach's voice is soft, fragile as he stares me straight in the eye.

My eyes immediately fall to the ground. Taking a deep breath, I lift my head. "Look, Zach, when we were dating, I really liked you. But..." I pause. How do I word this?

I fell in love with someone else, specifically, Tristan Berkeley? I didn't like you all of a sudden? Your kisses remind me of my dog?

"My feelings changed, Zach, and I know it's something that might be hard for you to understand, but it's the truth."

Zach doesn't say anything back, but the pain in his eyes isn't hard to miss.

"I guess there's no point in dwelling on the past anymore," Zach says as he forces a fake laugh.

"Yeah-" I'm about to finish my sentence but the bell rings, and Emma walks into the room.

"Alright, time to go, everyone. Let's pack up, fifth period starts in four minutes." She nods at me to follow her, and I shoot an apologetic smile at Zach before hastily leaving.

"I'll be taking pictures of the Alcott vs. Glen basketball game today, so I'll email those to you tonight," I tell Zach over my shoulder as I leave. He just nods and packs up his stuff.

Emma drops her "professional newspaper lady" persona as soon as we are out of earshot of Zach. "How did it go?" She says, looking at me with a worried expression on her face.

I shake my head. "I told him the truth, and I don't how he took it. I just want to get this whole thing over with," I say.

Emma nods sympathetically. "Maybe you should talk to Megan about it, you know, she and Simon had that talk after he kind of dumped her over email. Remember that?" She laughs.

"Yeah, maybe I will." I say.

Emma waves as she heads off to her math class, and I continue walking towards my biology class. Maybe I will talk to Megan tomorrow.

* * *

**So that's the end of that chapter! I hope you guys like it. I'm glad we finally got Zach and Cassidy's conversation over, but I'm pretty sure that isn't the end of this love triangle.**

**Leave me a review if you want, and be sure to request POVs in the comments. I know that the last few chapters have been very focused on Cassidy, so I'm excited to write about some other characters soon. I will be replying to reviews now in my author's notes, so feel free to ask questions. **

**My next chapter will be up tomorrow, so stay tuned for that! **

**Also, I am planning on updating my collection of one shots, called Captured, with my Zach POV scene that I promised a few months ago, so go check that out!**

**Thanks to my beta, DreamInitiate, for editing this! **

**Britt **

**This next section is my really long character development section. If you don't want to read it, you can skip it. If you'd like to read about my ideas during this chapter, feel free to continue reading! **

* * *

**I'm experimenting with a bit of character development here, so I wanted to provide some explanation for some of the things the characters said and how that fits with my vision of them. Warning: It's long. **

**1\. Emma: For me, Emma develops a very witty but still sweet personality after the sixth book. She isn't completely cupcake icing sweet (for me, that's Jess), but she still is nice to pretty much everyone. I like to imagine her as a natural leader, hence her position as editor-in-chief in the newspaper, as well as her business-like way of dealing with the whole Cassidy and Zach thing. Now, obviously she still is Cassidy's friend, which is crucial to why Cassidy is willing to work at the newspaper with Zach.**

**2\. Cassidy: One of my favorite lines of this chapter is Cassidy's**** "Your kisses remind me of my dog" part. I don't mean to portray her as a mean person in this chapter, but I do think that brutal honesty is part of her personality, and I want to keep that. Also, that line provides a little comic relief for me because this chapter was so relationship heavy and a little hard to write, not going to lie. As for the rest of her character development, I think Cassidy has matured a lot since the last book, and I like to think that she becomes close (friend-wise, obviously) with Simon because I wanted her to have a confidant who she could completely trust (who wasn't in the book club). In many ways, I think Simon is the epitome of a sweet, understanding friend. As well as that, he doesn't have the same brusqueness as his brother does. (Not that being brusque is a bad thing, but Cassidy and Tristan have already filled that void for me.) :)**

**3\. Zach: He isn't as bitter as he was before, because a good amount of time has passed between the sixth book and now, and I'm not going to portray him as too much of a "bad guy" in this story. Cassidy and Zach aren't going to become best friends or anything like that in this story, but I don't think it's in Zach's character to continue hating anybody, even his ex. And you never know, Sophie Fairfax is still around...**

**4\. Simon: Aside from Darcy, Simon is definitely my next favorite guy in the series. He is so sweet to Megan and has such a great personality. (Yeah, I'm gushing, I know.) Again, I think that Cassidy and Simon don't talk much in the original series, but I'd like to think that they have a great dynamic in terms of their friendship. **

**Bye! Britt**


	7. Models

**A/N: Hi guys!**

**I finally found some time to sit down and write this chapter of _The 7th MDBC, _and I've finally figured out a posting schedule for this fanfiction. I'll be posting every Monday and Thursday. **

** Also, I finished my other story, _Captured, _so I'm excited to be starting some new stories soon! I have a few ideas for what I want to write, but it most likely will be a novella type story that will be ten to fifteen chapters, depending on how my plot turns out. Check my profile for any updates on that!**

**As for the future of this story, I'm hoping to finish it at 20 to 25 chapters. At the rate I'm going now, it'll probably be finished in the next few months. Depending on where I am in the plot at 25 chapters, I may extend the story. We haven't even gotten to Hong Kong yet, but that will be coming soon! **

**Britt :)**

* * *

**Megan**

"Are you excited about the trip?"

My grandmother's soft voice grows louder as I hear her footsteps behind me. I turn around and smile at my grandmother, her hands filled with various clothing and shoes from tons of different stores.

"Of course! Mom never let me visit you in Hong Kong when I was younger..." I pause, smiling at my grandmother.

"Yes," my grandmother nods, "Our relationship was rockier back then, but it is better now." She smiles back at me. "I think your mother will be very happy to return to Hong Kong, after all, she left too soon to know the city well."

I nod. My mom always talks about how she regrets leaving so early, but she's still happy she was able to move. Gigi continues on as I daydream.

"I think that we will all enjoy the trip very much."

My mother never made me learn any Chinese when I was younger, so I still struggle to understand her Mandarin, but I understand enough that I know 香港 is Chinese for Hong Kong.

"This is for you, Megan." My grandmother hands me a package, bring me back to reality, and as I open it, I gasp. It's another traditional Chinese dress in a brilliant red with embroidered designs covering the fabric.

"Thank you so much Gigi!" I reach out to hug my grandmother, and she laughs at my excitement.

"Hong Kong may not be Paris, but it still is a great place for shopping too." Gigi begins to rattle off all the designer brands that have emerged from the city.

"Wei Zhao is a very popular shoe designer, her collection has been showcased on multiple international runways. Ryde and Hart are also very popular in Hong Kong..."

We settle into a lively discussion about the various designers from Hong Kong, and Gigi shows me shoes, dresses, and tops of all colors and designs.

Gigi begins to show me various photos of models from Hong Kong fashion shows. The fashion there is amazing, and I am entranced by the beautiful earth tones and long dresses that are incorporated in many designs.

"It's a new thing, boho chic," Gigi tells me, "All the designers are jumping on board. Bix, Zhao, Lara Menson..."

I make a mental note to start wearing my bohemian sweater tomorrow. I might have a skirt somewhere in my closet, and my mind drifts off as I begin to ponder my future outfit.

"Megan!"

I hear my mom's voice calling for me as Gigi and I finish packing.

"Megan Rose! Emma just called, she wants you to go over to her house for Hong Kong preparations ahead of our book club meeting!"

Gigi gathers her clothing and begins to put it away, as she motions for me to go. "I can clean up, you go first, Megan."

"Thanks Gigi!" I rush out the door and grab my shoes before climbing into my mom's car.

The ride to Emma's house is short, and as soon as we pull up into their driveway, Emma and her mom have opened the door and are waiting for us.

Mrs. H is especially excited about this meeting because we'll be going into full detail about the trip.

I smile as she welcomes us into the Hawthorne home, and we all get ready for the meeting.

"Details are here, ladies!" Mrs. Sloane-Kinkaid waltzes into the room with a pile of papers in her hands.

Mrs. Wong nods. "I've put together our trip itinerary with the help of the moms, Wolfgang, and Google," she jokes as Mrs. Sloane-Kinkaid passes around the papers.

I look at our itinerary for our trip, which will last two weeks, and my heart flutters when I see that my fashion show is the top of list for four of our days.

I know Becca is thrilled that she gets a chance to model an outfit for the show, and she keeps bugging me to show her which one she will be showcasing.

I keep telling her that I have no idea what Flash chose for the models to wear, but we've spent hours talking about the other models that will be there.

As well as the book club girls, Flash hired real Hong Kong models to be a part of the show, and I'm super excited to get to meet them.

Wolfgang assured me that they are from an agency that advocates for healthy eating habits and doesn't allow their models to eat next to nothing, which is a relief, because after what happened in Paris, I don't want to see another starving model.

"And," Mrs. Hawthorne says, "There's even more exciting news!"

_To be continued..._

* * *

**I didn't have a chance to send this to my beta, so I apologize for any errors. I will send it to her later today, but I really wanted to post this chapter on time. **

**The next part of this story will be up on Monday, 2/29/16 (US Pacific Time Zone). **

**Review if you liked it! **


	8. Fun Facts About Dorothy

**A/N: Hi guys!**

**So I know this chapter should have gone up on Monday, but my beta wasn't available until today, so I decided to wait. Sorry! I promise that I'm not a terrible person! This story will now be updated on Tuesdays and Fridays for the sake of my sanity (and maybe yours as well). I'm currently trying to sort out my schedule, so bear with me while I try to figure this out. :)**

**These next few chapters are mostly a snapshot of all of the girls' packing, and smaller surprises before the big trip. If certain plot points don't make sense now, they should make sense later.**

**As for the Cassidy and Zach situation, it will be addressed, I promise. I wanted to let it be for a few chapters, but Zach will return. :)**

**If any of you saw my profile update, you probably already know the name of my new story, _A MDBC Memory Book. _It will most likely be another collection of bonus scenes, one-shots, and stuff that doesn't fit in with this story. I am also working on a novella/novelette story that I hope to publish in a few weeks. I want to write a few chapters before I start posting.**

* * *

"And," Mrs. Hawthorne says, "There's even more exciting news!"

**Jess**

We all watch as Mrs. Hawthorne pauses, her face threatening to break out into a smile as seconds go by.

"Besides going to the fashion show, I've managed to fit in an extremely exciting side trip to our itinerary! We will be visiting an amazing island, Cheng Chau, during our trip!"

Mrs. Wong nods enthusiastically. "This island is filled with restaurants, a miniature Great Wall, and a pirate's hideout! An infamous Chinese pirate, Cheung Po Tsai, hid out in this cave on the island in the 19th century. We'll get a chance to explore the cave from the inside because it is still open!"

Cassidy whoops as she hears the news. "Finally! Something adventurous for once!"

I laugh as Megan and Becca sigh. They probably aren't too happy about this new development, but it sounds really fun to me.

We wrap up the meeting by talking about the situation with _Understood Betsy, _the book that we were supposed to read this year.

Mrs. Hawthorne sighs. "Girls, I know we haven't been able to start _Understood Betsy _at all, but I'm hoping that we'll be able to have an official book club meeting for actual book club business sometime in the next week or two before Hong Kong."

Mrs. Wong nods. "I agree. We might even have a chance to hold a book club meeting during Hong Kong. I'll see if we can fit something in after the fashion show is over."

"Well, in that case, I probably should share the list of fun facts I've compiled about the author of our book, Dorothy Frances Canfield." She passes out a handout for all of us to read.

**5 Fun Facts About Dorothy Frances Canfield**

1\. Dorothy was born in 1879 in Lawrence, Kansas.

2\. She went to Ohio State University, the University of Paris, and Columbia for her college education.

3\. In 1907, Dorothy married John Redwood Fisher. She had a son and a daughter with her husband.

4\. _Understood Betsy_ was published in 1916.

5\. Dorothy passed away in 1958, in the state of Vermont. She was 79 years old.

"Wow," Cassidy says. "She sure had a lot of school to go to."

"Yeah." Becca nods. "Three different colleges? Sounds like a nightmare."

I smile as I see Becca pretend to frown. We all know that she's more than excited to go to the U in Michigan to be with her beloved Theo.

Becca's changed a lot since her queen bee days at Walden, and she's even more focused on her studies now that she's getting ready for college.

Half an hour later, the book club is done discussing Dorothy Frances Canfield, and we all pile into our cars to head home.

By the time we get back, it's 9:00 PM, and even though I usually go to sleep later, I end up falling asleep on our couch.

The next morning, I wake up early and start on my chores. It's pretty simple these days. I milk the goats, refill their food, and feed chickens.

Dylan and Ryan are doing a lot more chores now with my parents preparing me to go off to college, and I'm finished with my chores in less than an hour.

I text Emma after I'm done, asking if she wants to head to downtown to eat or shop. She responds apologetically, saying that she is meeting Stewart all day today.

I sigh. Becca, Megan, and Cassidy are all at Megan's working on a science project, and now that Emma isn't here, I'm all alone.

Even Darcy isn't here because he has football practice.

I decide to go to a coffee shop in downtown and grab a latte before heading home to finish some studying for school.

My to-do list for today isn't too bad, and it mostly consists of studying and packing for Hong Kong.

I'm really excited that we're getting to go, especially since my mom was so hesitant in the beginning. She was worried my dad wouldn't be able to handle the farm by himself, but he assured her that he could.

I've never to Asia before, and judging from my research on Hong Kong, it's going to be a blast.

I finish packing a few hours later, and spend the rest of the afternoon reviewing for my physics test.

By the time nighttime comes, I'm exhausted. It's no surprise to either of my parents when they find me sleeping on the couch once again.

My phone buzzes just as I'm about to fall asleep, but the small glow from my screen isn't enough to keep me awake anymore.

I guess I'll check it in the morning.

* * *

**That was a filler chapter, I'll admit. I'm just a bit stressed now, but the next chapters will hopefully be more exciting. I'm going to edit this tomorrow because I finished this at 9:00 at night (procrastination), then I will send it to my beta, dreaminitiate. The next chapter, beta'd and all, will be posted on Friday.**

**Thanks so much and sorry for my terrible updating, Britt **


	9. Plane Preparations

**A/N: Hey all!**

**So...we are finally at the Hong Kong trip for our favorite MDBC girls! This chapter is just a snippet of the morning before their Hong Kong plane ride. I meant to upload the entire chapter today, but my beta only saw the first part. And, I am still uploading on Tuesday!**

**Enjoy this snippet!**

* * *

**Cassidy**

Sunlight streams in through the window, coating my face with warm light. Warm, nice, fuzzy, light, which is soon followed by two sounds thumps of a pillow.

Groaning, I blink my eyes open and sigh. Jess stands by the edge of my bed, a pillow-no actually my pillow-in her hands, with a big wide grin on her face.

Queen Clementine decided it would be a great idea to invite all the book club girls to sleepover for our last night in Concord, and it probably was a mistake.

We stayed up talking so late that Becca fell asleep mid-conversation and our moms had to come into my room and tell us to be quiet.

I'm definitely paying for it now, if my inability to wake up means anything.

Suddenly, I hear loud footsteps coming towards the door. Lots of them.

Yep, I was right. A billion moms come trooping in, each holding something different: a suitcase, a toothbrush, a phone charger, a wallet.

My mom comes to us first. "Ladies! We are leaving in less than an hour for the airport! You all need to get dressed and by ready for us to leave!"

Mrs. Hawthorne nods. "Of course, we'll need to have breakfast before we leave. Gigi's opened Pies and Prejudice just for us this morning, so we should be ready to eat as well."

Megan and Becca head to the bathroom to finish their morning processes, while Emma, Jess, and I look through our bags and check to make sure that we have everything.

An hour later, we are all piled up into cars and heading to Pies and Prejudice.

The shop is empty when we get there, and Gigi gives us some pastries and other foods for breakfast. I scarf down multiple croissants and muffins, and I drink three glasses of orange juice.

Emma gives me a strange look when I refill my glass once again, but I only grin in reply.

She hasn't even finished half of her first glass.

When we're all finished, Gigi closes the shop, and we all get back into our cars. Off to the airport we go!

* * *

**Thanks to my beta, dreaminitiate, for reading over this.**

**Review and thanks for reading! Britt**


	10. Plane Ride

**A/N: I'm going to be honest, not every week is going to be perfect for my update schedule, but I am trying my absolute best. **

* * *

**Megan**

Raindrops slide down my window, condensation fogging up the glass as the sky turns a few shades of blue darker.

A once noisy plane is quieted, the airplane's new found ambiance and dim lights make sleep a viable option for our twelve hour flight. Even the baby on our plane is quiet after two hours of crying.

The only sound that is heard is the baby's mother humming a song, some Scottish melody that drifts into the thin air.

Nobody complains as she continues to hum to her baby, the whimpers of the little human fading.

We've been on this flight for seven hours, and it hasn't been too bad so far.

Emma is busy reading Understood Betsy, but she's the only who's reading it, out of us girls at least.

I know for sure that Mrs. Hawthorne has read it already, but the rest of the moms probably haven't.

My excitement is mostly for the fashion show that Wolfgang has organized, courtesy of Flash of course. Becca is really excited to be a model again as well, and I managed to convince Cassidy that wearing heels wouldn't be that terrible.

She still won't wear the pumps that I suggested, but at least she'll be wearing semi-decent shoes for the runway.

I guess it's good that she's even willing to participate. Plus, we did promise to take everyone out for food after the show.

Becca leans over and taps me on the shoulder from her seat next to mine. "Are you excited?" she whispers.

I nod. "Of course! Gigi says that we'll have five days to explore the city before the fashion show, so I'm really pumped for that. Apparently some of the shopping areas are amazing here."

Becca's eyes glow. "I know, remember when Cindy from Bio went to Hong Kong last year? She had the most amazing clothes after!"

Gigi hears our conversation and joins in, smiling. "Girls, I'll have to take you to Central, Causeway Bay, Kowloon, and Mong Kok! Those are the best shopping districts in Hong Kong."

Becca nearly squeals with happiness. "Wow, I can't wait to shop at some place outside of Concord!"

I nod, smiling. "It's going to be amazing!"

An hour later, breakfast is served to us. Airplane food is usually pretty terrible, but we're flying first class, so the food is better than normal.

We finish eating, and suddenly, we hear the pilot's voice.

"We will be going through some minor turbulence, folks. Please stay in your seat for the time being. Thank you."

The plane begins to go through the harsh winds, rain whipping against the wings. The plane lurches a little, and I grab my seat.

Emma and Jess both look sick with fear, and Becca's eyes are closed, her breathing coming out in hitched breaths.

A few minutes later, the turbulence begins to settle, and I sink into my seat with relief.

"One hour to go," Becca tells me. "We're landing really soon!"

The plane shakes as its wheels hit the ground, and the pilot begins to speak again. "Thank you for flying with us today, enjoy your stay in Hong Kong. The current time is 9:22 PM and they are expecting light to moderate rain. Again, thank you for flying with us and we hope to see you on another one of our flights again."

We all get off the plane, and pretty soon we are on a car ride to our hotel.

Hong Kong is going to be amazing.

* * *

**My beta didn't read this, so I apologize for any mistakes. Thanks for reading! Next chapter up on Monday and Tuesday. **

**Britt**


	11. Zach is Back

**A/N: Hey guys!**

**I just wanted to fill you in after a week's absence from updating this fanfiction. I am still writing and continuing it, but I am super busy right now with school and life in general, but I'm trying my best. Hopefully this chapter makes up for failure to post. :)**

**Also, someone reviewed! Yay! Trinity Rebel, thanks so much for reading! I might have forgotten to thank splinterson77 for reviewing a few weeks ago as well, so thanks to both of you for being awesome people! Reviews are like motivation for me to keep writing and updating faster ;)**

**Enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

** Cassidy**

The inside of our hotel is gleaming gold and red, and we all drag our suitcases into the large lobby, the heat warming our frozen faces. It's really cold outside, and the sky is dark, leaving thick clouds covering the horizon.

The clerks at the lobby desk smile at us as we walk towards them. Gigi begins to speak in Cantonese and makes a few hand gestures towards us as she grabs our room keys.

She hands a key to my mom for our family's room and a key to Mrs. Hawthorne, who is rooming with Emma, Jess, and Mrs. Delaney. Becca and Megan's families are rooming together as well, with Gigi and Edouard getting their own room.

"Come on ladies," Gigi says,"Our crazy itinerary will be starting bright and early tomorrow!"

I glance at my phone screen and check the time. 11:37. Wow, we are going to have to go to sleep right away to get a good amount of sleep for tomorrow.

Mrs. Wong nods. "We'll have to leave the hotel by 7:30 tomorrow. That means that everyone needs to be up by 6:30, at the latest."

Megan and Becca groan. Lucky them, they've never had to wake up at 5:30 in the morning for a hockey travel tournament.

Gigi finishes the last of our paperwork, and grabs her handbag as she leads us into the elevator. "I know my way around here, so I told them not to bother with someone to escort us up."

We all dutifully follow her through hallways and more elevators until we're all stopped in front of a row of rooms, each one marked by a huge door and room number.

My family heads into our room, and I flop onto the bed when we get in.

"This place is nice!" Letting out an appreciative whistle, I look around our enormous suite.

My mom nods and grabs an excited Chloe to stop her from running straight into the nightstand. Chloe clambers onto the bed that I'm on and flops down as well, her eyes slowly closing.

Stanley heads into the bathroom to brush, and a few minutes later, he's in the other room, snoring away. I wait until my mom is asleep as well before grabbing my phone from my backpack.

I see five text messages from our MDBC group chat, and one message from an unknown caller.

I quickly log in to read the messages, and pause when I read the one from the unknown person.

_Hey Cassidy, this is Zach. I don't think you had my number before, but I got yours from Emma. I know things didn't go perfectly with us last time we talked, but I thought about what you said. Do you have time this week to maybe finish our discussion?_

My breath whooshes out as I read the last part of his text. Zach wants to talk again?

I text him back, my fingers shaking as I figure out what to say.

_Hi Zach. I'm actually in Hong Kong right now, so it might be hard to talk until I get back to the U.S. I'd be happy to talk to you some other time though. _

That's what Emma or Jess would do right? Be polite and courteous to an ex, and act like they were a close friend instead of an embarrassing memory?

Zach texts back right away, and I sigh. Why am I doing this to myself? Do we have to become friends again?

_Great! Have fun in Hong Kong then._

I shut off my phone and put it away after reading his text. I think I've had enough of this whole Zach situation for tonight. I hear my phone buzz one more time before I finally fall asleep, the light temporarily glowing in my face before the screen turns black.

* * *

**I'm working on another chapter which should be going up soon, so be prepared for that. **

**Thanks so much for reading! Review! **

**Britt **


	12. Mak's Noodle

**A/N: Hey guys!**

**I want to start off this chapter just by thanking the people who reviewed. Reviews are really good motivation for me to continue writing chapters and posting them more often. :) **

**To Trinity Rebel: Thanks so much for reviewing! When I heard that Heather was writing a 7th book, I considered changing this to an 8th book. But, I have read a little excerpt of the new book that she posted on her site, and she has changed some of the older plot points that still exist in this story. I do eventually want to write a story that takes place after Heather's 7th book, but I'll have to read it first! :)**

**To adorableness: I'm so glad you like my story! Thanks so much for the motivation! I'm really hoping that people will start coming back to this community again as well. There are some great stories here!**

**To Lelebird 7: Thanks for reviewing and the kind words. I'm definitely going to keep updating this story, and hopefully other people will too. :)**

**This chapter is dedicated to all my reviewers! Thanks!**

* * *

**Jess**

_Beep. Beep. Beep. _

I turn over to my nightstand and groan as I fumble around for my phone. The alarm's incessant beeping is enough to get me out of my bed, groggy and tired, but I can barely stand up without feeling like I'm going to fall.

I can hear Emma rustling from the other bed in the room, and she gets up as well, rubbing her eyes in the dark.

It's currently 6:00 AM in the morning, and I'm exhausted. The time change hasn't made early mornings easier for me at all, and it takes a few minutes for me to be able to properly function.

Emma and I can hear our mothers in the adjoining room to our suite getting ready, and we all begin to get changed and head to the bathroom to brush our teeth.

Half an hour later, we get a call from Mrs. Wong, who is busy coordinating taxis for us to take to our first destination.

"We are going to be eating at Mak's noodle today," Mrs. Wong tells us as we pull up to a small restaurant.

The inside is nice and cozy, and Gigi orders us a bunch of noodles in Cantonese. She motions for us to sit down, and we separate into two groups: mothers and daughters as we squeeze into booths.

Five minutes later, a steaming bowl of wonton noodles is placed in front of me, and I take a deep breath. The food smells so good, and I laugh as I watch Cassidy practically inhale her bowl before getting another one.

Despite her ravenous appetite and rapid fire slurping of five bowls in quick succession, something seems off about Cassidy today. Her eyes flit around like a nervous little bird, and she glances at her phone a few too many times during lunch.

It isn't like Cassidy to hide something from us, but then again, I seem to be the only one who notices her strange behavior.

Suddenly, Cassidy sits up, rattling the table as she excuses herself to the bathroom. I think I'm the only one who sees her red eyes as she practically sprints away from the table.

Carefully, I slide out of my seat and follow her. Just as I suspected, Cassidy doesn't go inside the bathroom. She sits outside of it, sliding her knees down to the floor and resting her head in her hands.

"Cassidy? Are you okay?"

I get a muffled reply. "Mack Morren ith maketh my head spin."

"Hmm? Zach Norton? What about him?"

Cassidy's lifts her head and groans. "He texted me. I texted him. He wants to talk again. I don't want to talk again, but I also don't want to be rude. End of story."

I smile sympathetically. Cassidy's choppy sentences are pretty normal when she gets angry, but she seems more nervous and frustrated. "Well, it's not like he's going to attack you or something. I mean, how bad can it be?"

"What else does he want? To be friends again? How does that even work?"

"It might be good for you guys to resolve your issues and become friends again, you know."

"Yeah," Cassidy nods, "It would be better if things weren't so awkward..."

"You know what," I say lightly, "Things will be awkward at first, but Zach isn't that bad of a guy. I'm sure you guys could be friends again."

"Maybe." Cassidy looks unconvinced as her eyes stay trained on the ground. "I just want this whole situation to be over. At least I won't have to talk to him until after Hong Kong."

"I'm sure you'll do fine," I say encouragingly. "It'll be fine. That was such a long time ago, and you guys have matured."

Cassidy smiles at me. "Thanks Jess. Let's head back, I think I'm okay now."

We head back to the tables, and Mrs. Wong is busy paying our bill. The group is sitting around, idly chatting as they wait for us to be able to leave.

"Alright, people," Mrs. Wong says. "On to our next stop, Ocean Park!"

Megan practically screams with excitement as she hears where we are going next. She turns to us, her emotions pronounced loud and clear on her usually less expressive face.

"We used to go there when I was smaller," she explains. "Ocean Park was my Disneyworld for a long time, and it's been like five years since I've been there."

Gigi nods. "I remember that park when it opened," she says. "I think it was in the late seventies when they first introduced it. It was a very different thing for a city like Hong Kong to have, but it was nice. It still is nice."

"It's about a twenty minute drive, guys." Mrs. Wong heads over to us, phone in hand. I got us a few taxi drivers, so we should be on our way."

A few minutes later, three taxis drive up, and we all pile in to the cars. Megan turns to me excitedly as we begin to drive, and I smile back. Ocean Park is going to be a blast.

* * *

**Wow, what a cheesy ending. The next chapter is going to up on Friday, and it's going to be 2000 words so get ready for that! Again, thanks to all the people who left nice reviews, I really appreciate them!**

**Thanks for reading, Britt **


	13. A Day at Ocean Park

**A/N: Hey guys!**

**Yay, more people reviewed! It's really nice to see that people are reading my stories and enjoying them.**

**To Guest: Thanks for reviewing and the nice message! **

**To Lelebird 7: I hope you liked Captured! Thanks for reading and reviewing. I'm currently planning another one-shot collection that will definitely feature Dess in it. That should be coming soon. :)**

**To Trinity Rebel: Yep, that was your name! Thanks for all the awesome reviews. :)**

**To Guest #2: Thanks for reviewing! Reviews definitely help me update faster. :)**

* * *

**Emm**a

I am not afraid of roller coasters. At least, I shouldn't be. I mean, my family's been to Disney World a few times before, and I haven't been phased there.

There's just something about this particular roller coaster that we're going on that makes me uneasy.

Maybe it's the fact that the ride is called The Hair Raiser, or maybe it's that it claims "it hurtles, plunges, loops, and dangles you around at a massive 4G", but I know I'm terrified.

Cassidy, Becca, and Jess are all for it, but Megan and I are a little worried.

Most of the moms are thrilled as well, including Mrs. Wong for some strange reason, but Mrs. Chadwick is just as as scared as Megan and I.

The line is only about half an hour, so we stand in the sun and wait for our turn.

I can hear people screaming as they swoop around in their seats, their voices fading as they plunge downwards.

Yep, I am terrified to go on this monstrous thing and even more terrified to voice my fears.

Mrs. Chadwick gives me a glance as she looks at the ride. "Seems a bit nerve wracking, huh?"

"Yeah," I nod, "I'm not the biggest fan of roller coasters."

She smiles. "Neither am I, but I guess we'll be doing this together! It should be better to do it with your friends."

Before I can reply, a lady at the gate ushers us inside and leads us into a car, where we all pile in.

Cassidy laughs with excitement as we hear a lady give out safety instructions.

"Welcome to the Hair Raiser, a thrilling ride full of loops and thrill seeking drops. Please remain seated at all times while the ride is moving, and fasten your seat belts. Put any personal belongings in the shelves provided for you. Thank you for riding the fast skies with us today, and enjoy your ride!"

The announcer then switches to Chinese as she repeats the same instructions.

Suddenly, a low rumble begins to shake the cars, and a burst of energy begins the ride.

I hold on to my seat, my eyes glued to Jess's flying hair in front of me, and the car drops down as the wind begins to whistle past my ears.

We spin around in a loop, and I scream as we are flipped upside down at an unnatural speed.

"This is amazing!" Cassidy's shouts get lost in the wind as we turn another turn and plunge downwards once again.

I'm happy when the ride finally comes to a stop, and I breathe out with relief.

"Come on guys, we have another ride to go on!" Megan practically flies out of the car, robin's egg silk scarf in hand.

We all laugh as we see the next ride we'll be going on: bumper cars.

* * *

**So that's the end of this chapter! I'm working on the next chapter, which will be coming on Tuesday. It's going to be longer, I promise! Also, I'm going to post the first chapter of my Dess novella sometime next week, so look out for that! The story will be around ten to fifteen chapters and will focus on Darcy and Jess's last summer together before Jess leaves for college. I might also write some more couple, fluffy one-shots for A MDBC Memory Book, and I might post them. (Is that something people would be interested in?)**

**Thanks for reading and review! Britt :)**


	14. Symbio!

**A/N: Hey guys!**

**Review reply time!**

**To Trinity Rebel: Thanks for giving some much needed feedback! I will definitely be posting the one-shots then.**

**To Guest: Thanks for the awesome review! Hopefully I can get the one-shots up soon. :)**

**To Guest #2: Thanks for reviewing! Jarcy/Dess is definitely one of my favorite couples. **

**My New Schedule:**

**Tuesdays: Chapter of The 7th MDBC.**

**Fridays: Chapter of The 7th MDBC.**

**Sundays: One-shots! These are fluffy one-shots of the different couples in the series. Also, this collection won't be called A MDBC Memory Book, that is for something else. :)**

**My Dess novella (Just Because) isn't going to have a schedule (yet), but I will be posting a chapter sometime this week or possibly next week. **

**Note: The Chinese might not be right, but I tried. :)**

* * *

**Becca**

I scream as Emma and I bump into Cassidy, Jess, and Megan in a sea of colorful cars. Our rubber bumpers bounce off each other, and we're swirled to the other side of the rink, where we hit yet another car.

"This is amazing!" Jess smiles and shouts as their car collides with ours, and I close my eyes, feeling the wind on my face as we swing around.

The sudden stop of our cars makes my body fly forward, my hands landing on the safety bar with an uncomfortable _thump. _

"Ladies and gentlemen, please exit the ride to your right. Remain seated until the ride has fully stopped. Thank you for riding the Bumper Blaster with us today and enjoy the rest of your visit. 请等一等，先让过山车停以后在出去。出口在你们的右边，谢谢！"

We climb out of our car and head to the exit as a new wave of people enter the rink.

Emma sighs. "This is actually so fun! Where are we going next?"

Mrs. Wong checks her map. "Well, we have about an hour before lunch, so let's go on one or two more rides, then we can go to lunch. Is that good for everyone?"

We all nod vigorously. Mrs. Hawthorne points to her map, her eyebrows creased. "The Raging River looks fun, but we might get wet..."

"It's hot out," Mrs. Sloane Kinkaid says, fanning her face with her map, "Let's go for it!"

Cassidy seconds the motion, her hand reaching into her mom's bag to pull out a few ponchos. "For the moms," she explains, laughing as the moms make a grab for the ponchos.

"What, none for us?" I ask, running through my hair nervously with my fingers.

"Of course not!" Cassidy laughs. "Surfer chic, it's a new thing, isn't it Megan?"

Megan laughs and gives me a sympathetic smile. "Trust me, your hair is still going to look great." Motioning for me to stand in front of her, she takes out a bottle of "Magical Mist" and sprays it all over my hair.

"There!" She says, capping the bottle and putting back in her bag, "Your hair won't frizz once it dries."

I shake out my hair and smile. "My mind is ready, my body is ready, my hair is ready..."

We all laugh as the group begins to head towards the Raging River, the sounds of shrieks of happiness filling the air, and lucky for us, the line is short.

Five minutes later, we're all getting into logs that are already soaking wet. I put my purse in the cubbies on the landing station, and sit down, wincing as some water sloshes into my shoes.

An announcer's voice gets on the intercom, and she begins to explain the safety precautions and the ride's other details. I zone out, staring at the drops and turns that lay ahead.

A sudden blast of water in my face starts the ride, and I laugh out loud as we begin a slow, leisurely cruise down a seemingly rapid-less river.

"This is actually quite nice," Mrs. Chadwick says, her nails no longer tapping worriedly on the side of the log, "Almost like a nice riverboat cru-"

Her voice is cut off as Mrs. Delaney shrieks. She's the front of the very first boat, and although we can't see her, we can certainly hear her as Jess, Megan, and she enter the more thrilling part of the ride.

So far, we've only had a few minor drops, but a few hairpin turns catch me off guard, my heartbeat rising as we near what looks like a ninety degree drop.

Our boat rocks back and forth, then plunges downwards, gallons of water spraying my face and soaking my hair and clothes.

The drop is quick and terrifying, and I can feel my heart rise in my chest as we fall. Our boat tilts upwards as we land, spraying more water on me again.

Emma is giggling in front of me, and she points to Jess, who looks less than pleased. Jess's normally luscious locks are completely saturated, and she looks a little like a wet dog.

She laughs good-naturedly, and runs her hand through her hair to smooth it out.

A few minutes later, the ride is completely over, and we hastily get out of the boats and head to the giant dryers, where we stand, feeling the air dry out our clothes and hair.

"We should go to lunch, ladies," says Mrs. Sloane Kinkaid. "How about the Panda Cafe?"

Mrs. Hawthorne nods, reading her map's description. "It offers traditional Chinese and Hong Kong style food, including dim sum and Siu Mei. I think it would be great! We are in Hong Kong after all."

The restaurant is about a fifteen minute walk from Raging River, so we head over to the area, which is near a panda sanctuary and numerous other attractions, including a gator marsh and a bird theater.

The inside is cozy, and panda pictures line the walls. All the food is panda themed, funnily enough, and everything tastes amazing.

We spend an hour eating, laughing, and scrutinizing the little panda creations that the chefs have made, and Mrs. Wong pays for our bill.

Ten rides, a few snacks, and a dinner later, it's 8 PM and we are waiting for the Symbio! show to start.

The show starts with an announcer talking about the exciting premise of this attraction, describing how the clash between Earth and humans through the fiery battle of two dragons over huge bursts of water.

The water is bright pinks and reds and blues, shooting upwards and calming before raging again. Fire spread across the giant fountain as well, and the two dragons battle it out right in front of our eyes.

The animated dragons growl and swoop together, their huge wings flapping as the pyrotechnics and intense music take over.

The music is a huge symphony orchestra, who grow quiet and loud from one minute to the next, reflecting the drama in the scene.

There are collective oohs and aahs as people see the creatures take shape in a myriad of strange reflections across the water.

Suddenly, a huge ring of water bursts up from the ground, shifting from magentas to blues to greens in a matter of minutes, and the music swells to a resounding finish.

The water then dies down and the dragons disappear, and the sky is no longer illuminated with this spectacular light show. We all clap as the music comes to an end, and people begin to filter out of the area, probably to go on more rides or eat more food.

Mrs. Wong looks at her phone's time and shakes her head regretfully. "We need to head back to the hotel, ladies. It's about 10:30 right now, and we have another jam packed day tomorrow."

We begin to walk to the exit, talking excitedly about the rides we went on and the wildlife we saw. Mrs. Wong has already called a bunch of taxis to come pick us up, and by the time we head home, Jess and Megan have already fallen asleep.

By the time I brush my teeth and change into my pajamas, I can barely keep my eyes open. Yawning, I flop onto my bed and close my eyes, feeling the nice feeling of drifting off after a long day.

...

"Becca!"

A soft voice whispers in my ear as I turn over sleepily. "Hmm?"

Megan is leaning over me, her jet black hair tickling my nose as she gently shakes me awake.

"My mom says that we're going to Cheng Chau today," she continues, "It's going to be pretty cool."

"Sounds fun," I say, swinging my legs over the edge of my bed. My eyes are starting to adjust to the brightness, and I blink a few times as the room comes into focus.

"What time is it?" I ask, fumbling around for my phone.

"5:30," Megan answers calmly.

"What?" My voice lowers as I hear rustling from the other room. "5:30? Why so early?"

Megan shrugs. "Apparently the ferry for the island leaves at weird times, and our departure is at like 6:15 or something. It's to coordinate with the fishing boats that come into the harbor in the mornings. My mom didn't want to wait for the next ferry, so she booked this one."

I sigh. "Well, we'd better get ready then. Emma told me to text her when I woke up, so I bet her room still is sleeping. Lucky." I pretend to frown as Megan grabs my phone.

"I'll do it, I've been up for an hour anyways. I woke up way too early today." Megan types in a text, then sets down my phone. "All done."

"Great," I say. "We should probably head down then."

"Yeah," Megan nods. "Our moms went down already for breakfast. They left fifteen minutes ago."

We walk out our door and wait for the elevator.

"Hey!"

Megan and I turn to see Cassidy, Jess, and Emma walking towards us. "Hey, you guys heading down for breakfast too?"

"Yeah," Cassidy says. "I think our moms are down already."

"Let's go," I say as the doors open, "Breakfast is coming soon!"

* * *

**Lots of words! Hopefully this chapter makes up for some of my shorter chapters before. :) I'm working on getting them longer. They're probably going to be around 1500 words in the future. **

**Thanks for reading and review, Britt**


	15. Q & A

**A/N: Hey guys!**

**Review Time:**

**To splinterson77: Thanks for the review! I'm super glad you're excited for the Dess novella-now I have to come up with a good writing schedule for it! :)**

**To adorableness: Of course! There's going to be a few Dess one-shots coming soon, and my Dess novella Just Because is going to posted as well.**

**To Lelebird 7: I'll keep that in mind if I have to use Chinese again. Thanks for the kind words.**

**To Trinity Rebel: Reviews are actually a huge part of keeping me motivated! They never get on my nerves. :) I've answered your questions at the bottom of this chapter (it's a bit long.) Thanks for reviewing!**

**Today's chapter is just a snippet because I had a lot of extras here, but the rest will be up tomorrow.**

* * *

**Cassidy**

I've been stuffing my face for the past half an hour, a collection of toast and jam and scrambled eggs scattered in heaps around me. There's also some Chinese dim sum for us to eat, and I make sure to get plenty of that too.

Breakfast in Hong Kong is amazing, and I'm going to enjoy it while I can.

"Hey Cass," Megan walks over to the booth where I'm sitting, and glances at my pile of food, then back at me. "Someone looks like they haven't eaten in five years," she says, smiling, "You look like you could eat a horse."

"I'm hungry," I say, fake frowning at my friend. "You should know that, as one of my supposed best friends."

Megan laughs. "I think we have more in common than you think," she says mysteriously, "I mean, we obviously are interested in guys from the same family..."

Megan smirks as she waits for me to respond. "What, you and Tristan still are dating, aren't you?"

"Yeah," I scoff. "Of course. Why wouldn't we? We've been managing a long distance relationship for such a long time, I mean nothing's wrong..."

"Whoa, tiger. No need to get so defensive. I was just joking," Megan says as she casts a worried glance at me.

"Are things okay?" Her voice grows quiet.

"Yeah..." My voice trails off. I can see her expression change as she realizes that I'm lying.

"Have you guys talked recently?"

"It's been a few weeks." I train my eyes on the ground, trying to fight back hot tears prickling behind my eyes.

To be continued...

* * *

**Hope you guys enjoyed that snippet! The next chapter is going up tomorrow, then on Friday. If you missed it, my one-shot collection, Candy Hearts, went up on Sunday. Check that out if you like fluffy one-shots!**

**Britt**

***Also, I didn't have my beta read over this, so I apologize for any errors. **

* * *

Answering some questions :)

1\. What inspired you to write?

I've always really liked writing, but I never had the courage to post my work online until just over a year ago. I remember posting my first chapter on fanfiction and feeling an overwhelming sense of happiness every time someone looked at my story or reviewed. I was inspired to write fanfictions for this community by Heather's great books. In terms of my own personal writing, I am inspired by interesting people that I see or meet, music that I hear, or places that I have been. I draw inspiration often from my own life or close family and friend's lives. Sometimes, my characters shape themselves, and that really helps me develop an exciting story. For The 7th Mother Daughter Book Club, Hong Kong is a place that is very close to me, so writing about it was very cool.

2\. How many stories have you written for?

I currently only write for the Mother Daughter Book Club community. Personally, this series was one I really connected with and didn't have an enormous fanbase with hundreds of thousands of stories, so I thought it would be a great place to write to a smaller audience while still having people read my work. I might consider writing for other communities, but it would probably only be one-shots.

3\. Did you ever think of pursuing a career in writing? If not, would you want to?

When I was younger, I really wanted to be a writer (and a professional hockey player, for that matter), but currently, I probably wouldn't want to pursue a full time career in writing. I'd love to publish a book or continue writing here on the side because I think that writing is extremely valuable and fun (that's why I do it :), but it takes a lot of dedication to be a writer and I really admire what they do. I'm a firm believer in work hard play hard-that has served me well in school, which is why I'm perfectly happy writing English essays if it means I get to have fun and be creative here.

Thanks to Trinity Rebel for the questions! See you all tomorrow!


	16. The Fact That It Hurts

**A/N: Hey guys!**

**So it is currently spring break for me, which means more writing and more updating for you guys! I've been pretty busy these past couple of days, but I'm back and ready to write again.**

**Review Time:**

**To Trinity Rebel: You're welcome. :) You should leave a link to your blog, I'd love to check it out! Thanks for the awesome review!**

**To Guest: Thank you so much! Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**To Pretty in Pink: I want to apologize ahead of time for this chapter (you'll see when you've finished it). :) Hopefully I'll be able to put a lot of Trassidy one-shots in Candy Hearts, though. Thanks for the review!**

**To Guest: Thanks for the review! I'm going to be posting a lot of Trassidy stuff on Candy Hearts, so hopefully that makes up for the lack of fluff in this story. :)**

* * *

**Cassidy**

_"Have you guys talked recently?"_

_"It's been a few weeks." I train my eyes on the ground, trying to fight back hot tears prickling behind my ears. _

Megan breaks the silence, her eyes sympathetic as she watches me completely break down in front of her. She quickly rushes over and sits next to me, her arm around my shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Cassidy," she says, quietly. "I'm here for you in case you want to talk about it."

I nod and sniffle as Megan hands me a tissue. Blowing my nose loudly, I clean my face and turn towards her.

"We just kind of stopped talking. He's been really busy with his ice dancing competitions, and I've had tournament after tournament to go to..." I stop as I begin to frown.

Megan looks at me curiously. She jumps with surprise as I start talking again.

"No one ever told me managing a long distance relationship was going to be harder than school and hockey put together," I fume, my own frustration fueling more anger.

Megan nods sympathetically. "Simon and I have had a few rough patches, and well," she says, her face completely serious, "It might not be that bad for you two to take a break from each other."

I raise my head and look at her, mulling over her words.

"Simon and I have done it before," she explains, "It helps clear your mind and figure out whether your relationship is really good enough to keep working on." She shrugs, and pats me on the shoulder.

"You might want to try it, Cassidy. If Tristan and you haven't been talking that much recently, reach out to him. Talk to him."

I nod, feeling the tears about to come again. As much as it hurts, I think Megan is right. If Tristan and I are truly not meant to be together, then maybe that's what needs to happen.

"This sounds like a soap opera," I grumble. Taking a deep breath, I turn towards Megan. "What time is it in Britain?"

She raises her eyebrows. "When I said take a break, I wanted you to think about things first and not just rush into anything. Are you sure?" She emphasizes her last words as she glances at me.

"I'm sure," I say, sighing. "We're just talking, anyway."

Megan nods. "It's 12:00 PM in Britain. You'll be okay by yourself, right?"

"Yeah," I nod, and Megan walks away.

Taking another deep breath in, I dial Tristan's number and listen as it rings once, twice, three times.

When I'm about to end the call, he picks up. "Hello? Cassidy?"

I want to cry when I hear his voice, but I steady myself as I respond. "Hey Tristan. Is this a good time? We need to talk."

I can hear a beep as he mutes the phone, and silence ensues. Three seconds later, he's back. "Yeah," he says, a good deal tenser than he was before.

I gulp and try to stop my voice from shaking as I begin to speak. "So," I say nervously, "We haven't talked in a while..."

My voice lingers, and I'm trapped as I realize I don't know what to say after that.

Tristan lets a breath out, and I can hear him muttering. "We haven't talked in while," he says, repeating my words. "That's a problem, considering..."

His voice trails off.

"...considering we're in a relationship." He finishes.

"That is a problem..." I wince at my poor choice of words. "Tristan, I need to know where we stand, and I think you want to know as well. Are we still dating?"

The question hangs in the air, and for a second, neither of us dare to breathe.

"Maybe we should take a break." Tristan speaks slowly, cautiously, as if he thinks I'm a bomb that's going to explode and kill everyone around me within a ten mile radius...

"Yeah," my voice is light, too light to feel real but I speak anyway, numb to the pain that his words just caused. "We need a break."

"We can still be friends, right..." Tristan waits for me to respond, his voice hopeful.

I smile, but there's no humor in my expression. "That's not a good idea, Tristan." I say.

He starts to speak again, and I sigh.

"Okay, I'll let you have your space. It'll be good for both of us," he says, but he sounds like he's trying to convince himself more than me.

There's another pause as we both begin thinking.

Tristan lets out a breath, his voice strained. "I'll miss you, Cassidy."

There's a click as he hangs up, and I completely break down, sobbing in a very un-Cassidy-like fashion.

I guess that's how it feels to have your heart broken, I think.

I want to scream in happiness when I see Megan out of the corner of my eye, hovering near the door, her eyes questioning.

I nod at her for her to come in, then burst into tears again, and she hurries over, wrapping her arms around me in support.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she says, her head cocked to one side.

"Maybe." I say, my voice slightly wobbly. "We just broke up, and now I'm not sure what to do. He wanted to be friends, Megan, friends! I don't even know what he's thinking now."

"Did you want to be friends?" Megan looks at me curiously.

"I shut it down. It's a stupid idea, we were dating before. How am I just supposed to forget about our two years of dating and pretend like we're just friends?" I scoff, kicking my shoe into the floor.

"I don't think he meant it in that way," Megan says, reasonably. "I think he just didn't want to cut ties with you completely. You know, an amicable split, albeit a terrible attempt at one."

I laugh humorlessly. "It was terrible."

Megan sighs. "Cassidy, it won't do you any good to mope. Come on, let's go do something fun with the rest of the girls. They're probably wondering where we've gone."

"I know, but this is stupid."

Megan looks me in the eyes, her expression serious. "The fact that it hurts means it meant something to you. The fact that it probably hurts for Tristan too means that you guys were important to each other."

"I guess."

"Don't forget that, Cassidy. Come out when you're ready, okay?"

I nod. "Can you tell the girls? I don't want to tell them."

"Yeah, of course. Take some time to yourself." Megan turns to leave, and gently closes the door behind her as she walks away.

I keep thinking of what Megan said, her words repeating themselves in mind over and over again.

The fact that it hurts means it meant something to you.

What kind of weight do those eleven words carry, eleven simple words that leave a little hope for me, for Tristan, for us.

I dissolve into tears again, burying my face in my hands.

I pick up my phone, my finger hovering over the call button, as I contemplate whether to call Tristan back.

Deciding against it, I toss my phone aside and hear a thump as it lands on the floor.

Curling up on the sofa, I fall asleep, my hair messed up and my face streaked with tears.

Tomorrow's another day, I think, before closing my eyes and drifting off into a deep sleep.

* * *

***hides from Trassidy shippers***

**Sorry! I'm serious! Don't worry, my other one-shot Candy Hearts, will feature tons of Trassidy, and I mean tons of Trassidy. As for this story, things will pan out in the end.**

**I'll be updating a lot this week since I'm on spring break, so expect tons of stuff. :) **

**Thanks for reading and review (preferably not angrily),**

**Britt :)**


	17. Crying Session

**Hey guys!**

**So...where do I begin? I haven't been on Fanfiction in about 19 days since I last updated the 7th MDBC, I haven't gotten any writing done since then, yeah, you guessed it, my life is currently a mess right now.**

**I received a few reviews on my stories asking me to update/asking me why I don't always stick to my schedule/actually some surprisingly nice things, and I figured I owed all of you an apology for not updating or at least keeping you guys posted on why I wasn't around.**

**Honestly, I can't always promise to stick the the schedules that I list out, and I might be changing them as finals roll around, but I can promise to try my best. These next few weeks are going to be rough for me (school...), and I can really only say that I'm going to try to post a chapter of The 7th MDBC and a one-shot every week for the next few. **

**To Lelebird 7: Thanks for the reviews! I will for sure add some Jess/Darcy to Candy Hearts.**

**To splinterson77: I know, I'm sad too. But it will all work out in the end, I promise!**

**To Guests: I am changing my update schedule, and thank you!**

* * *

**Becca**

Cassidy tells us the news with a runny nose and red eyes, her hair damp and sticky from her tears. It's strange, she isn't usually that emotional about her personal life; she's gone through tons of stuff throughout the years, but I do understand why she's crying.

I think that Tristan completed Cassidy in more ways than she could count, yet I also know that she's independent. Fearless. Powerful.

That's what I tell her when she collapses on the couch that we're all sitting on, her sobs hiding the words coming from her mouth.

She hasn't told any of the moms, and we're still scheduled to go to Cheng Chao for the last "vacation" part of our trip before the fashion show.

"I still want to go, guys" Cassidy tells us, her face determined. "We need to have fun anyways."

Emma nods, and stands up. "I'll go tell the moms then. Megan, your mom said we needed to leave tomorrow for an early morning ferry ride."

"Yeah," Megan nods, "It's going to be an early morning."

Cassidy sighs, running her hands through her hair. "Alright, guys, let's go to sleep. I'm done with this crying session."

She huffs, executes a flawless hair flip, and walks into the bathroom, while the rest of us start laughing.

Leave it to Cassidy to go through a break up like a champ.

We settle into our beds, all bundled up in the blankets and our matching pajamas (courtesy of Gigi and Megan, of course).

It isn't too long before I fall asleep, and my alarm blaring the next morning manages to not bother me too much.

...

"Get up Becca!"

A large shadow looms over me, and I can feel a mop of hair land on my face as my mother leans over my bed.

"Rebecca Chadwick, all your friends are waiting for you to get up and get ready for our outing today, and you tell me that you're still in bed?"

"Mom," I say, muttering as I roll out of bed, "I slept in."

Yawning, I run my hands through my hair and grab my phone. Glancing at the time, I snort. It's 5:30.

"We were going to meet at 6 in the lobby, right Mom?"

"Yes, now hurry Rebecca. Lily is thrilled to show us where Gigi grew up. It's all she's been able to talk about. Aren't you excited to see all the culture and tradition that we're going to see there?"

I sigh, and mumble a yes to my mom.

"Good," she says. "Let's head out!"

* * *

**Thanks for reading this snippet! A one-shot will be coming on Sunday, and I will be resuming my Tuesday/Sunday update schedule next Tuesday. My full schedule/other updates can be found on my profile. **

**Britt**


	18. Cheung Po Tsai

**Hey guys!**

**Ok, so we are getting there with this story! I suspect it's going to be 25 chapters with some sort of closing epilogue/scene thing to end the story nicely. After I am done with this story, I am going to move on to my Dess novella which I am planning/working on right now.**

**Also, I apologize for uploading this a day later, my wifi at home was all messed up, but it should be fine for Friday's update. **

**Candy Hearts will be updated on Sunday! (And possibly on Mystery Friday...)**

**To Trinity Rebel: Haha thanks! :)**

* * *

Megan

The cave is dark. And deep. And utterly confining.

I can barely lift my arms from my sides to touch the cold, stone walls that surround me.

I'm not usually very claustrophobic, but something about this creepy tunnel cave seems to get to me, and I'm positive that I am not alone.

The sound of shrieks behind me confirms my suspicions.

"Oh my gosh, was that a bat?" Becca squeals with fear as she walks through the dark cave, her footsteps making muffled thumps into the dirt underneath her feet.

We are walking around in the pitch black darkness with only a flashlight to light the way, and every step we make causes another shriek to ring out in the hollow chambers.

Cheung Po Tsai, a famous seafaring pirate from China, apparently hid his loot in this cave on Cheng Chau.

We had entered the cave through a literal hole in the ground, and I wanted to scream when I saw Cassidy lowering herself in, her muffled voice calling out as she disappeared into the huge pile of rocks.

"It's cool guys! Ooh, what is that? Wow!"

We were all glad to see her somewhat return to normal, at least, the closest she could get to normal after her break up.

The cave seemed like the perfect thing to do, and now we're here, it seems less appealing.

We've been in the tunnels for around 45 minutes, and so far, all I've seen have been dirt, dust, and the red hair of a certain someone in front of me.

"Hey!" Cassidy whoops, signaling for me to come closer. "I see the light!"

Laughing, I walk nearer to her, craning my head towards a little crack of light in the distance.

The moms and other girls pant behind us, their tired steps pounding on the dirt ground.

"Finally," Mrs. Chadwick groans, "This adventure might have been too adventurous for my taste."

Fifteen minutes later, I'm crawling through a hole to the surface, and I smile as the other girls come bounding towards me, looks of triumph on their faces.

"We did it, ladies," Becca says, "We're practically pirates!"

Giggling, all of us turn towards our parents and wait for everyone to get out of the cave.

"Alright, guys," Mrs. Wong says as she approaches us. "Today is the absolute last day that we'll get to go sightseeing in Hong Kong before the fashion show."

"Yup," Mrs. Hawthorne adds. "We thought that for our last day sightseeing, we would go to Tin Lung Heen for dinner in order to celebrate the fashion show!"

...

It takes a few hours before we can get on the ferry to go back to the mainland, but the entire ride back is exciting, and we all want to scream with happiness.

I can't believe that I'm getting my own fashion show, in Hong Kong no less!

I haven't told the other girls that today is actually the day that they're going to be fitted for their clothing as well as taking a few modeling classes.

Wolfgang thought that it was important that the girls practice modeling again, "After all, they haven't modeled since they were thirteen, mademoiselle," he said.

I just nodded and smiled. And, I'm pretty sure everyone's going to love the classes anyway, except for maybe Cassidy.

I mean, according to Wolfgang, over 1500 people are going to the event, including fashion designers, professional models, and fashion company representatives.

All of us girls get into a car to go to the restaurant, and Becca starts talking about the fashion show.

"Tell us the details, Megan. Come on, we want to know!" Becca tugs on my arm as we sit in the car.

"Well," I say, smiling. "Today is fitting and some modeling practice…"

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, you guys are going to get a few lessons from some coaches, and the outfits will be showcased."

Becca squeals, and Jess nods excitedly.

"This is going to be awesome!"

_To be continued..._

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**Thanks for reading and review if you liked it!**


	19. 50's Fashion and Cinched Waists

**Hey guys!**

**I've been getting a lot of reviews lately asking if I've read Mother-Daughter Book Camp, and the answer is, no. I've been trying to get my hands on it for a while, but so far, I've only seen the excerpt Heather posted on her blog. I'm also putting it off a little as I want to finish my story first before reading hers. Sadly, I have seen some reviews of Heather's book, and people are saying that it was a bit disappointing. Aaaah! I'm really scared that if I read it, it'll make the entire series seem less good?! I don't know. If you've read it, leave me a (no spoilers!) review in the comments. **

**Anyway, after that long rant, it's review time!**

**To splinterson77: Thanks for the review! **

**To Lexee Style: Thanks for the awesome review!**

* * *

**Jess**

The dress flows perfectly around my legs, the long, silky fabric artfully rippling as I stand in front of Megan's critical eye.

"It's a bit long," she says, biting her lip. "I mean, we want the heels to be able to be seen as well. It's not everyday that you get Bix to design some shoes..."

Megan trails off, lost in thought as she scrutinizes my outfit.

"Looking good!" Emma says as she walks into the room, dressed in a robe with her hair still wet. We're preparing for the practice runway walk as the show is in three days, and so far, tons of makeup and hair stylists have been curling and straightening our hair as well as layering foundation onto our faces.

"Hey Em, will you get me the scissors? The ones that are labeled gown scissors...yeah, that one."

Emma hands her the large scissors, a skeptical look on her face. "Do you know what you're doing?"

Megan nods, then lunges for my dress. I gasp as she starts cutting at the bottom, just eyeing her cut without any measurement.

A minute later, three inches of fabric have been taken off the bottom of my dress, and it looks much better to me.

"The dress was inspired by Chanel's spring collection," Megan says, walking around me as I stand on a small raised platform. "The purpose of the collection was clean lines, clean colors, and elegant design."

"It's really pretty, Megs." I say, eyeing myself in the mirror.

"The cinched waist and ruffled top are pretty signature for this kind of style." Megan continues on, still walking around in circles.

"As for the heels, they're pointy toe pumps. I decided to pair a lighter heel with the dress, so they're nude heels, with a pink underside."

I nod, smiling at Megan's constant worrying.

An hour later, Megan is finally done with the adjustments to my dress, and she sends me out to the practice runway to begin walking.

"3, 2, 1...and walk!"

I start walking down the runway, making sure to remember all the tips Wolfgang told me yesterday.

"It looks good," Megan says to Wolfgang as she squints at me.

Wolfgang nods. "Yes, cherie, it looks perfect. People with love the designs, darling. Jess! You can come off the runway now."

I nod, going down the steps to the backroom, where I change into my usual clothing.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Emma walk in a sunshine yellow mini dress.

"Emma!"

Megan beckons for her to come over, and they walk into another dressing room.

**Emma**

"You look delightful, darling!" Wolfgang walks in as Megan is inspecting my dress.

"We need navy blue heels. Kitten heels, probably." Megan is muttering to herself as she watches me in the dress.

Handing me a pair of heels, she scrutinizes me again.

"I like the length, Emma."

"Yeah, it's really nice. I bet people are going to go crazy for your designs."

Megan smiles, raking her hands through her hair. "I sure hope so. I worked really hard for this collection to work, and I'm really hoping that some designers will ask to collaborate. That would be so cool!"

"I'm sure tons of people would want to collaborate, Megan. You're like a fashion genius!"

Laughing, Megan walks around my dress one last time, looking for any imperfections that she might want to add.

"It looks pretty good. Wolfgang, any thoughts?"

"Beautiful!" Wolfgang claps his hands and ushers both of us out of the room. "The practice runway needs your presence, Emma."

Smiling, I walk onto the runway, being careful to smile and not trip at the same time.

"Looking good! I think we'll be great for tomorrow. You can head back now Emma," Megan calls, and I walk backstage to change back into my robe.

**Megan**

5 hours later, I am finally working on Becca's dress for the collection. So far, most of my dresses have been for my spring, pastel collection, but Becca won't be modeling those outfits.

Instead, she'll be modeling the fifties inspired, brightly colored summer collection.

All of the dresses in this collection feature cinched waists, flared skirts, and bright, funky colors and patterns. I also experimented with a few white shirt and colored skirt combos as well as off the shoulder, knee length dresses.

Becca's is bright blue with a pink, cherry blossom graphic pattern. It has a defined collar and flares nicely at her knees.

Becca's eyes light up when I hand her a pair of bright red pumps. "These are four inches," I say, smiling. "They're to make your legs look really good."

"I bet! Oh my gosh, these are really amazing heels!" Becca squeals a little as she twirls in her dress.

Handing her a plain, black belt, we adjust the dress until it's the perfect fit.

"We're ready for the runway!"

Becca steps out onto the runway, and I gasp. Standing next to Wolfgang is Elle Lanston, a new and upcoming fashion designer from England.

Walking up to them, my voice feels strange as I say hello.

"Megan! Meet Elle!" Wolfgang excitedly introduces me to the young designer. "Elle requested that she come to our practices as she can't attend the show, and she wanted to see some of your designs."

"Is this your summer collection?" Elle gestures towards Becca, who is walking down the runway.

"Yes," I say.

"It looks amazing," she says, smiling at me. "I've watched the last few models. I think your summer collection has a lot of potential for the British market. The fifties style is coming back in."

Nodding, I enthusiastically explain my inspiration behind the fashion. "I've seen your Wiltshire collection in Vogue, and I think it's absolutely amazing!"

Laughing, Elle thanks me for the compliment and kisses Wolfgang goodbye.

"I hope to work with you in the future," Elle says as she hands me her business card.

I take it, my heart beating in my chest as I look at her clean, cream colored card.

This fashion show is going to be amazing.

* * *

**So. It is currently 12:06 PM when I am posting this, but it still counts as Tuesday to me! We are definitely getting to the end of this story, and hopefully I will be able to finish it with a good ending. I'm expecting maybe five or so more chapters.**

**Review!**

**Britt**


	20. The Dress

**Hey everyone!**

**Enjoy this chapter of The 7th MDBC. We really are getting to the end of this story, and my plan is to write five or six more chapters to amount to about 10,000 words for this story so that its word count is similar to a proper novella. **

* * *

**Megan**

The music blares from the speakers, a remix of some pop song with a catchy beat and a toe-tapping melody.

The girls are all backstage for the beginning of the show, and I can't be more excited.

Wolfgang took me around the audience to meet a whole bunch of designers, models, and prospective buyers who were invited to the show.

I think at this point I've gotten more business cards than surprised faces, especially since Flash has been helping me a lot with getting more visibility in the industry.

Being under the age of 25 is always hard when it comes to fashion, and while I've experienced a lot of unexpected success, it still seems surreal to meet designers that I've really only seen in magazines.

Wolfgang drags me over to a table in the audience and begins to talk in rapid French with one of the people at the table.

I can't understand a thing he's saying, but I try to look professional and interested.

"So you're Megan Wong? The famous, young designer for Bebe Soleil, Flashlite. I've heard a lot about you, ma cherie. Wolfgang has raved about your designs to just about everyone!"

A woman wearing thick glasses and a cream colored gown glances at the portfolio Wolfgang hands her. He smiles at me and nods encouragingly.

Taking a deep breath, I face the woman. "Yeah, that's me!" For once, I have no idea who this person is, let alone what brand she runs.

"You have an impressive portfolio, Miss Wong. There aren't many of your generation that can say they've sold their designs to an up and coming fashion company as well as an established magazine. Next, you'll be having your own fashion show!"

She laughs at her own joke, and I smile too. The woman seems really nice, and it's a welcoming change from the usually inexpressive rigid-like-boards people that Wolfgang has introduced me to.

I mean, I can agree that fashion is a business, but it's also about passion and dedication, not just money.

"Tell me a little about your brand, Miss Wong. What inspires you? What motivates you? What do you think will come back in style?"

I nod, launching into an entirely fashion filled conversation.

"Well, a lot of my designs for the collection that I will be showcasing tonight are more on the elegant side, with inspiration drawn from various floral designs and the Chanel spring collection. I've also tried to incorporate some earthy, boho-chic type designs. For the most part, this show will be showcasing the formal outfits, but I've also drawn inspiration from classic Californian clothing, especially the more casual kimonos and shorts."

"Oh, California inspired? That's definitely something that's new, especially for the U.S. East Coast and foreign customers. You have a lot of potential in that market," she says.

"That's what I'm hoping for! I guess for things that I want to come back in style, older 50's fashion would be great. I tried to incorporate a bit of a 50's feel for my summer collection, actually. All of the pretty figures and bright colors."

The woman nods, and adjusts her dress. I glance at it for a moment, confused at the bunched fabric around her ankles.

Her dress seems oddly familiar. It's an off the shoulder floor length dress, with a ruffled hemline and artful draping at her feet.

I can tell she put a lot of thought into how she was going to style the handbag, and I applaud her choice of a simple black clutch. Her entire outfit is very put together and flows really well.

I can see her five-inch, nude heels peeking out from under the dress.

My fingers itch for my sketchbook so I can take note of her outfit, but Wolfgang taps me on the shoulder to get my attention.

I stare at the dress for a moment longer, thinking. Maybe I've drawn it before or seen it in a magazine?

"That's a beautiful dress, darling! Wherever did you get it?" He winks at me and motions towards the lady's dress again.

I frown, wondering what exactly he wants me to say, until I see the fabric change from the cream color to a burgundy red.

She smiles. "Oh, my father loves this piece so much. It's quite popular with people who are shopping for formal dresses in the area."

"No way. Is that the color-changing dress I designed for Multitude last year?"

Wolfgang nods, looking pleased with himself. "The one and only."

No wonder I didn't recognize it, because when I designed it the fabric was still being formulated.

"This is actually Alexander's daughter, Valeria." Wolfgang motions to the young woman.

Alexander is the man who first asked me to design for Multitude, and my smile becomes even wider as I recall the memory.

"It is a beautiful dress." Valeria smiles at me, and her perfectly manicured fingers whip out a business card.

I glance it, remembering the Multitude logo. "I designed this forever ago, I can't believe they still were making them!"

Valeria nods. "We weren't sure how people were going to react to the color-changing, but it turns out they love it. The cream and burgundy are both very versatile colors, and a lot of customers appreciate the night to day color change."

I glance to my left, and see the sun beginning to set. The dress was right on time, I guess.

"The fabric innovation is getting crazy," I say. "It'll be so exciting to work with the new creations."

"Of course, cherie. I'm sure my father would love to collaborate with you again sometime."

Wolfgang, Valeria, and I exchange a few more words before the manager of the program calls me over for some last minute adjustments to the outfits.

I head backstage, excited to see my creations come to life.

As soon as I walk in, I see Emma in the makeup room, getting her hair and makeup done. She looks gorgeous tonight, with thick, hazel colored extensions in her hair.

They go perfectly with the sunny yellow empire waist styled dress she's wearing, and I smile at the sight of the robin's egg colored shoes she's wearing.

"Looking good, Ems!" I shout as I pass by her.

She gives me a thumbs up back and giggles as a blush brush flits across her face.

She's going to be modeling first, and her outfit is the first one from my spring collection. There's a lot riding on her performance, because a lot of buyers here will decide whether the outfits will be good within the first few models.

I have full trust in Emma though, and I make sure to tell her as much as she leaps out of her chair to get the final adjustments to her dress.

"Alright, remember, head up and keep your strides long and elegant. Arms can swing lightly, and make sure you smile the whole way down. Stop at the end of the runway and strike your pose, wait five seconds and then turn around. Own the outfit, Emma!"

Our stage intern, Will, gives Emma one last pep talk before dashing off to tell the tech crew when to dim the lights and start the music.

Emma heads towards me, smiling. "The rest of the girls are still getting ready." She takes a deep breath in. "I'm going to go first, I guess. It's really nerve wracking!"

"You're going to do absolutely great. I'm sure tons of people will want to buy your outfit!"

Both of us wave as Jess comes over, dressed in a gorgeous, midnight-blue gown that goes to her feet.

She looks like a princess, with her hair up in milkmaid braids, and she handles her heels like a pro.

"How do I look?" she asks me, twirling around in delight.

"You look fabulous," I say, quoting Wolfgang.

The strapless dress looks great on her, and she heads over to the makeup room to get her makeup done.

"What happened to Cassidy and Becca?"

"There was a little outfit mishap," says Emma. "They mixed up outfits or something like that. I think Will said that he fixed it."

I nod, relieved that Will could fix the situation. "Are they going to be heading out soon? The show starts in around two hours, but we might have to start it sooner."

"Yeah," Emma says, scanning the room for the two girls. "There they are!"

I laugh as the two of them walk out, in white robes and wet hair.

"What happened to you guys?" I exclaim, giggling as the water drips down their faces.

"We just took showers," Cassidy grumbles. "Someone was stupid and set off the sprinklers in the back, and Becca and I got soaked with gross sprinkler water. Our outfits got soaked too."

"They got the extras that I made, right? Please tell me that they got the extras!"

Cassidy grimaces. "They managed to get my dress dried, and it's fine now. But..."

She pauses for a moment, looking hesitant.

Becca sighs, and finishes her sentence. "My dress can't be fixed, and they can't find the extra."

"That is not possible," I say, my words tumbling out of my mouth, "Your dress was supposed to be the introduction to the summer collection, Becca. We can't have the introduction gone!"

Becca nods. "I don't know, according to Will, the extra wasn't brought on the plane. I think it's still in Concord!"

I call over Will, my face getting more worried by the second. "Will! I need you to help me with something!"

He rushes over, panting slightly. "Yeah, what can I help you with?"

"I need you to get a few things for me. And fast," I add, checking my phone for the time. "Like thirty minutes fast."

I rattle off a list of items for Will to get, and tell him exactly what stores will have what. "Also, ask Gigi for the fabric. That's it, thanks. Now go!"

He hurries off, and I rush to find my sketchbook.

I flip through the pages, and settle on one water colored design. Yep, I'm going to redo Becca's dress from scratch, all in the span of less than two hours.

Thirty minutes later, Will comes back with four different bags of various fabrics, a sewing machine, and the plethora of other items I need to make this dress.

Gigi comes over to help me, and I begin to tediously measure out the fabric. I can't help but think, the last time I made this dress it took me around ten hours to complete.

"How will I be able to do this?" I moan, as I stare out at the mass of fabric in front of me.

Gigi smiles. "My brave granddaughter can do anything, and that includes making a dress in an hour. Plus, you've made it twice already, Megan. One more time should be no trouble."

I nod, my hands already at work with the sewing machine. Gigi works quietly alongside me, and slowly, the dress begins to take shape.

"Is the hemline folded? Ruffled?" Gigi asks as she grabs the bottom area of the dress.

"Folded," I say as I cut more fabric. "And, we're cutting the extra ruffle and the wrap around in the back in exchange for simpler buttons."

"That will speed up the time," Gigi says. "Are we still going to keep it floor length?"

"Yeah. I think we'll have enough fabric to let it drape a little bit."

"How's the waistline doing now?"

Gigi holds up her handiwork, and I smile at the result. "That's perfect. Basque was just what I was going for."

"How about sleeves?"

"Sleeveless. One inch to two inch straps."

"Neckline?"

"Bateau. Nice and boat like."

Our conversation pretty much continues like that for about an hour, and Gigi and I single-handedly finish the dress to nearly the exact specifications from my previous design.

"Alright, let's go through the checklist."

"Floor length?"

"Check."

"Bateau neckline?"

"Check."

"Basque waistline?"

"Check."

"Sleeveless?"

"Check."

"Folded hemline?"

"Check."

"Buttons in the back?

"Check."

"And artfully draped ruffles?"

"Check."

I breathe a sigh of relief. We should be good.

"Becca! Here's your dress, fresh off the press!"

Becca rushes off to get changed, as the show is starting in around twenty minutes.

Obviously, our final product isn't as elaborate as my old design was, mostly due to a lack of materials and time, but I'm pretty happy with the dress once we're finished.

"We're ready in ten," Will calls out, and I take my place backstage. I can't wait for the show to start.

* * *

**Yes yes yes! That was 2100 words of pure excitement right there!**

**If you review, tell me... (along with the usual good stuff)**

**1\. Would you like an epilogue/closing thing that occurs after the novella ends? **

**2\. Suggest couples for Candy Hearts!**

**Once I am finished with this story, I will probably devote a lot of time to getting Candy Hearts where I want it, and then we'll talk about the Dess novella.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Britt :)**


	21. Fashion Forward

**Hello!**

**I know I've been gone for a while, but I made up for the weeks I missed with an extra long chapter! It's around 5,300 words. :)**

**The next part of this chapter is coming soon, so keep an eye out for that. **

**Review Time!**

**To Guest: Thanks for the review! I'm probably going to write an epilogue where they reunite with their BFs. :)**

**To splinterson77: Thanks! I really like their relationship throughout the series, and I think their collective fashion powers are awesome.**

**To Lelebird 7: Yes! I'm going to be working on a Dess novella after this story is done! **

**To Trinity Rebel: Your wish has been granted!**

**To BookNerd101010101: ME TOO!**

**To Guest: Thanks so much, there will definitely be a lot of Trassidy and Dess in Candy Hearts.**

**To MDBCfan: Thanks for the short review! I'm definitely going to read it then!**

* * *

**Cassidy**

"Welcome to today's Showcase, presented to you by Flash. We will be showing the complete summer collection of Megan Rose Wong, ambassador for Flashlite and designer for Bebe Soleil."

A lady's voice comes over the speakers, and I peek out from behind the runway to see a mass of people, dressed in clothing that's all together much too nice, but I guess that's customary for fashion shows.

The outfit I'm wearing is a pinstripe romper and a pair of tan pumps. The heels are a little too tall for my liking, and they make my 5 foot 10 frame even more giantess that usual.

Megan rushes over to me, her eyes scrutinizing my outfit. "Looking good, Cassidy," she says, smiling at me. "You're going to be first out, okay? We planned for it to be Becca, but since the little mishap, we had to change around the schedule to finish her makeup in time. You can do it, right?"

I nod, my eyes not betraying the nervousness I'm feeling. "Yeah, I can do that."

Megan grins. "Cass, you're going to do great. Trust me, a few buyers saw you before the show started, and all of them are excited to see you walk. But don't worry, no pressure!"

She winks at me as she walks away, and I stick my tongue out at her retreating back.

The lady's voice comes over the speakers again, and I listen to everything she's saying, eager to get out onto the runway.

"Megan Rose Wong's collection embodies the playful fun of summertime, as well as drawing inspiration from the 50's swing skirts, bright, clean colors-"

"Cassidy!" Jess rushes over to me, her feet scurrying under her midnight blue dress.

"Are you nervous?" She cracks a smile, but her feet give away the jittery feelings that she probably has.

"Of course," I say, matter of factly. "Megan told me I'm going first. Seriously, I'm so nervous!"

Suddenly, I feel a tap on my shoulder, and I spin around.

Will points towards the runway entrance. "You're up, Cassidy."

I smile, taking a deep breath.

"In 3, 2, 1..."

The lights are bright and flashing as I walk out, my hands gently swinging by my sides. Tipping my head up, I try to remember everything that I was told about modeling.

Walk in a straight line.

Long, graceful strides will make you look more professional.

Smile!

I reach the end of the runway, and strike a pose, putting a hand on my hip. I can see a camera flash as my picture is taken, and I know that's my cue to walk back.

The slow walk back seems even longer, and I try not to let my legs wobble or my smile slip off my face.

As I head back, I pass Jess, who's heading out after me. I give her a quick smile and mouth "Good luck."

She grins, and continues swaying down the runway, her flowing dress billowing behind her.

As I head backstage, I relax, tugging off my heels and walking over to the dressing room to change into my next outfit.

I glance through the racks and racks of clothes for the show, and find the one labeled _Cassidy 2._My next outfit is a white, toga-inspired number, and it flows all the way own to my feet.

It's paired with a pair of delicate heels, which are a sheer, almost iridescent pearl color. The entire outfit feels very elegant, and for a moment, I feel a little bit like a princess.

As I head out to the backstage area, I almost bump into Emma, who's wearing the 50's style, lemon yellow mini dress.

"I'm so nervous, Cass!"

"You're going to do great, Emma!" I try to sound reassuring. "It's definitely not as nerve wracking as it seems once you get out there."

"We're going to have to walk in front of so many people!"

"Trust me, all you can see when you're out there are the bright lights. It's pretty amazing, actually."

Emma gives me a tight-lipped smile, her facial features relaxing as she adjusts her dress slightly.

"I'll take your word for it, then," she says, grinning as Will gives her the countdown.

"Emma, you're on in 3, 2, 1…"

The last thing I see before she heads out onto the runway is a flip of her brunette hair, which is pulled up into a high ponytail, and she is gone.

The music is still loud, the beat matching everyone's ecstatic feelings. I'm pretty sure that this playlist contributes to the fashion forward, over the top atmosphere that everyone seems to embrace here.

I can see Megan rushing around from the corner of my eye, and I didn't even notice that she changed into a simple black mini dress with bright red pumps.

I'm pretty sure the design is what Megan calls "bodycon" or something like that. Honestly, at this point, the fashion nonsense just goes over my head, anyway.

She's talking to a bunch of her helpers, who have sewing needles and thread in their hands. It looks like their fixing a few loose seams in one of the dresses.

Seams? Is that what their called? I tilt my head at Megan's frantic elves, and try to remember fashion speak.

Suddenly, I feel a tap on my shoulder. I whip around, surprised.

"Hello, miss, you are Cassidy Sloane, correct?"

"Um, yes," I say, nodding, my eyes wide and confused. "Can I help you with something?"

The man chuckles nervously at my blunt tone, but he recovers quickly. "My name is Edgar Barron, a correspondent for Mystique, a beauty and fashion magazine in London, and our executive director is here tonight."

He pauses for a moment, and I stare at him, utterly baffled.

"He wanted to do an interview with one of the models at Megan Rose's show tonight, and he was wondering if you'd like to do an interview with Mystique."

"I mean, that's very nice of him, but I still need to model a few more outfits." I smile apologetically.

"Do you have a manager I could speak too? Maybe they could work something out?"

I nod. "Sure, come this way."

I have no idea who to say is my "manager", but this Edgar Barron guy seems really determined to get an interview.

I sigh, and head over to Will. "Will!" I say, giving him a grimace as I subtly point at Edgar. "Edgar Barron here would like an interview with one of the models here, and I'm sure you know where to find him a manager to talk to!"

Will smiles at Edgar, and motions for the reporter to follow him to a back room. "You can sign up for interviews on this list, sir. We have around ten other magazines that are lined up for interviews, but we can definitely squeeze Mystique in sometime next week."

I exhale, relieved that I don't have to deal with any more reporters, and continue waiting for my cue to walk the runway again.

Emma emerges from the runway a few minutes later, her face glowing with happiness.

"It was amazing!" she says, twirling in her dress. "Who knew that modeling could be so fun?"

I nod, grinning happily. "It is amazing. Do you want me to help you find your next dress?"

"Of course! I think it's labeled 'Emma 3'," she says, her eyebrows furrowed. "Megan told me it's long, sparkly, and red."

"So… it's evening wear!" I say, smiling.

"Hey! You look great!" Emma says, noticing my dress for the first time. "The white really brings out your eyes."

"Thanks!" I say, smiling. "Oh, I found your dress!"

Emma thanks me and grabs the long red gown from my hands.

She heads into the changing room, then emerges a minute later. The sequined dress is scoop-sleeved, and hides her feet, the tips of black heels poking out from under the long skirt.

She twirls on the spot, laughing.

"Emma! Head over here to touch up hair and makeup!" Will calls out to Emma as he passes by.

"Oh, and Cassidy, you're on in a couple of minutes." I nod, and take my place by the entrance to the runway.

The strobing lights outside flash again and again and again, and I can hear the crowd chatter on.

"Alright, ladies and gents," the announcer speaks again, "Now is the time to start bidding for our first 10 original outfits. Megan Rose Wong's collection will be available through Flash, but here is your chance to get original, handmade outfits made by our very own designer herself!"

A loud applause rumbles through the audience, and I can hear the excited murmurs of the crowd.

Megan approaches me, her hands clasped behind her back. "I can't believe we've made it through ten outfits!"

"Yeah," I say, nodding. "A lot of people want to buy your original outfits, huh?"

She smiles. "People usually buy original outfits to use as decoration or promotional pieces. I mean, usually, they aren't worn."

"Then lots of people probably want to feature your outfits in their stores."

"I hope so!" she says, smiling. "There's still a lot of time left, though. And a lot of outfits. And we still have an intermission. I'm so nervous, Cassidy!"

"Why?"

"We have to go out into the crowd and discuss some of the outfits with potential buyers, and most of them want to meet the models, so most will want to meet with you, and it's all just going to be so nerve-wracking."

Megan combs her hand through her hair, exhaling. "I heard that Wolfgang invited some designers that are actually based in Paris!"

She rattles off a long list of designers, and then a long list of buyers.

"Megan, relax. Everyone already loves you and your designs. You'll be fine!"

She laughs, giving me a hug. "I think I'm going crazy. Alright, see you later, Cass."

I nod, and turn around as I hear Will call my name. "Cassidy, you're on in 3, 2, 1…"

And I step out into the bright lights once again. The crowd is even louder, even bigger than I remember, and all I can think as I walk down the runway is how much bigger Megan's fashion designing has become since 6th grade and her first Flashlite meeting.

Each step of mine becomes less wobbly as I head down the runway for the second time, my dress fanning out slightly, my hair windswept and casually "messy".

I laughed the first time I saw the giant fan that they were going to point at us as we walked down the runway, but I guess I can see how it makes us look a lot more professional.

Not to mention, it's great at keeping my hair out of my face.

My strides get longer as I approach the end of the catwalk, and I strike another pose for the cameras.

This time, my hands go to my hips and I smile, trying not to blink as cameras continue flashing.

Then I spin on my heel and head back down the runway, my hair still billowing in the fan's wind.

By the time I get backstage, I collapse on the couch, the outside stimulus running rampant through my brain.

"This is our first intermission, ladies and gentlemen. Megan and the models will be heading out to the tables shortly."

The murmurings increase as the announcer starts intermission.

We walk out into the crowd, each of us accompanied by a Flash representative.

Megan motions for me to walk with her, and we are immediately stopped at a table near the runway.

"Megan Wong! Your designs are delightful, mademoiselle!"

A man in a navy blue suit and wire rimmed glasses chatters excitedly about Megan's designs, and she nods along, looking engaged with his conversation.

I, on the other hand, zone out as he continues talking about 50's fashion, summer trends, and something called a "bodice".

"…And how old are you again?"

"18," Megan says, smiling.

"Ah, 18 and already more famous than many twice your age. Perhaps more talented too, no?" He chuckles and hands her a business card.

"My company works with many designers in Germany, and many are interested in collaborating with you, and there are many buyers that would love to get their hands on your summer collection, Megan."

She smiles and thanks him, before moving on to another excited buyer.

"Your evening collections are just stunning, Miss Wong!" A woman in a floor length, beige dress smiles at my friend.

She turns towards me, her eyes lighting up. "And you, Miss Sloane, correct?"

I nod, surprised she knows my name.

"Your name has been passed around the tables, Miss Sloane. We're very impressed with your modeling, as well as the other girls. Have you done it before?"

"Just once, at one of Megan's old shows."

He smiles. "Well, you're very talented, and I think a lot of agencies would love to sign you, if they could."

Megan elbows me, "Cassidy could very well be a supermodel, if she wanted to be."

I give her a fake frown, but I give the guy a polite smile as I turn back towards him. "That's very nice of you, sir."

We're brought to another table, and the conversations continue, each becoming more mundane and long-winded as we continue through the crowd.

I'm greeted with a lot of really nice compliments, though. I make sure to thank each and every one of the people that we meet, because I don't want to come off as rude.

Megan becomes engaged in a conversation with a young woman who's dressed in a sky blue mini-dress.

"I got a lot of inspiration from SoCal clothing, especially with the light, washed out colors as well as the near looser fit pants," Megan says, smiling.

"Of course! Pure genius, if you ask me. I love the contrast of the daytime clothing and your evening collection. The gowns are just gorgeous."

Megan nods and thanks the woman, and as soon as we're out of earshot, she squeals. "That was Bella Gallagher! She's probably one of the most famous designers under the age of 25! It's crazy, she has the most amazing collections ever, and everyone goes to her shows."

I smile. "She really liked your designs, so that's cool!"

"Cool? It's absolutely fantastic!" Megan continues squealing at me. "I can't believe they convinced Bella Gallagher to come to my show!"

Megan nods. "For sure, there's definitely a lot more people than I thought."

Wolfgang comes up to us a few minutes later, and he gestures for us to follow him. "Miss Wong! Miss Sloane! Amaretta here would really like to meet you!"

A small woman with long blonde hair piled on the top of her hair, comes over to us and begins to chatter excitedly.

"Ah, so this is the delightful Megan Rose that everyone is talking about! I'm Amaretta," she says, shaking Megan's hand.

"Wait," Megan says, her voice shaky from excitement. "Are you the Amaretta? I can't believe it! I've seen all of your collaborations with Bix, and I loved your Fall collection so much!"

Amaretta smiles, accepting the compliment. "Ah, that is nothing, I'm sure you are going to be collaborating with many designers soon." She waves her hand, smiling at Megan.

Then she turns to me, and smiles. "And you must be Cassidy Sloane," she says. "I loved the pearl gown that you modeled; it looked absolutely stunning with your frame."

"Thank you," I say. "But most of the work was done by Megan."

Amaretta laughs. "Oh, the model and the designer both work together to bring an outfit to the people, and you most certainly shouldn't sell yourself short there."

Then she and Megan start another conversation about fashion, and I sigh. This intermission is getting longer and longer by the minute.

"And of course, empire waists are coming back into fashion. And the skirts! They get slimmer and slimmer by the year!"

Megan nods along. "That is so true! I didn't even realize how slim my dresses were getting. Especially since evening wear hasn't been as big and bright lately."

"For sure!" Amaretta chuckles, "It seems that someone needs to bring the poof back! What happened to all our underskirts from the 1800s?"

Laughing, Megan thanks Amaretta as intermission ends.

"Ladies and gentlemen, intermission is over. Please head back to your seats for the second half of the show!"

We head backstage to prepare for the next ten outfits, and Megan reverts back into the frantic, dashing around, fixer upper designer that she becomes while we're walking the runway.

I slip into a knee length, navy blue, spaghetti strap dress. It's made from a sheer material and is shapeless.

Megan said that the point of it was to show a sense of elegant, subtle lines throughout the dress to make it classy and perfect for any occasion.

In some ways, she's right. The dress goes really well with the nude pumps she hands me, and I go to hair and makeup to get my hair done and makeup touched up.

My hair is braided into a French braid and is pinned up onto my head, so no loose curls fall around my face.

I head over to where Jess and Emma are sitting, uncharacteristic as most of us are rushing around, but both of them have finished modeling.

We're on the second to last outfit, and Becca is getting ready to enter the runway.

I'm going to be the last one modeling for tonight's show, and to say it doesn't make slightly nervous would be a lie.

It helps to be able to talk to the girls, though, and I'm glad that we can joke around a little before my final runway walk.

"You're going to do amazing, Cassidy." Emma smiles at me and gives me a quick hug before I go out to the runway entrance.

Will motions for me to start walking, and I head out onto the catwalk, a smile plastered on my face.

The night has been long and full of memories, and it feels like a dream as I float down the runway.

I strike one last pose, and close my eyes as I embrace this new experience.

And the entire thing ends as fast as it started.

"And that concludes Megan Rose Wong's summer collection showcase. Megan and Flash ambassadors will stay for about thirty minutes with the conclusion of the show for any last media interviews, and on behalf of Hong Kong's Flash, we wish you all a safe and fun rest of the night."

It's about 10:00 at night, and we are all tired from the exertion of the last seven hours.

I go back to my dressing room, and slip out of the blue dress. It pools on the floor, and I slip on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

I also carefully remove my 3 inch heels and replace them with my sneakers. My feet feel much better, especially since my feet are officially sorer than after any of my hockey practices.

After I hang my dress on a clothing rack, and put my heels back in their shoebox, I sit down on the couch with the other girls.

There's a moment of silence as we all glance around at each other, each person remembering different points in the night.

Megan breaks the silence, her face joyful and sad and relieved all at once. "We did it, guys. You all modeled outfit after outfit, a ton of buyers are interested in the collection, and I met some of my idols tonight."

Becca smiles, running a hand through her hair. "We all were totally going to support you through this," she says, "And now your dream has come true!"

My mom runs in a moment later, dressed in a formal, white, off the shoulder dress with a pair of robin's eggs heels.

"Come on girls, we're heading to the after party now! We have a surprise for you!"

Giggling, we all scramble for the door and pick up our things. We follow Queen Clementine out the door and into a black stretch limousine.

Megan laughs as we slide into the car's sleek interior. "I wonder where we're going?"

My mom smiles. "Well, Gigi was nice enough to manage to rent out a fun dance club for us to host the party at."

"There will be some special guests, too," my mom says, chuckling.

"Do we have to dress up again?" I say, grumbling. "I swear I've been in a dress and heels for the entire day at this point."

My mom laughs. "Of course, Cassidy! There's nothing like a party with a nice dress and a nice pair of heels.

"That's hardly a party," I mumble, but my mom looks too excited to care.

"And, I'm sure Megan designed some dresses for you all to wear!"

"Huh?" Megan looks utterly confused at my mom's words.

"Well," my mom says, her smile getting wider by the minute, "Wolfgang told me about some of your designs that were in progress, and we decided to go ahead and bring them to life!"

She reaches into a large bag by her side that I somehow failed to notice before, and pulls out five dresses, all the same design in different colors.

"This sky blue one is for you, Becca, and this pink one is for Jess, and this emerald one is for Emma, and this red one is for you, Megan, and Cassidy, this one's for you."

She hands me a cream colored dress, and I stare at it, feeling the satiny fabric on my fingers.

My mom has another surprise for us when she pulls out five pairs of black pumps. "Bix sent these over from her current collection, and I think they're absolutely amazing."

Megan and Becca start squealing, while Jess and Emma excitedly try on their shoes.

I stare at mine, thinking of the pain my feet will have to endure for the rest of the night.

"Come on girls, get your party clothes on! The rest of the moms and our special guests are waiting!"

We all climb out of the limo when we get to the dance club, and head into the restroom to change into our party clothes.

While I still feel slightly uncomfortable in my much too tall heels, the other girls seem to have no problem with sprinting onto the dance floor.

They'd make great athletes if they really put their mind to it. Seriously, with their speed on three inch platforms, they could beat anyone in a pair of proper shoes.

The dance floor is loud, and I head over to the bar where a bartender is making drinks, nonalcoholic ones for us, and alcoholic ones for the adults.

I order a sparkling Italian soda, and Becca orders lemonade. We grab our drinks and hang out by the bar, sitting on the high chairs.

A while later, Megan, Jess, and Emma rush over to us, laughing. "Dance with us, you two! Don't be party poopers!"

Becca giggles and slides off her chair to join the rest of the girls, her blonde hair tied neatly in ponytail.

"I don't want to dance, guys," I say as Emma tugs my hand.

"Come on! We just were part of an awesome fashion show, Gigi rented out an entire dance club, and we're in Hong Kong! Why wouldn't you want to dance?"

Jess gives me a reproachful look as she gets an orange juice from the bartender.

"Cassidy…"

I cut a glance to the ceiling, shaking my head. "Why do I ever follow what you guys want me to do?"

"Cause we're your friends, and we want to go dancing together." Megan grabs my hand, pulling me off my chair, and suddenly, I'm on the floor, dancing.

I can see Gigi, all the moms, and the fashion show's crew milling around the floor, and Wolfgang is talking animatedly with what looks like one of the designers who attended the show.

"Come here, Cassidy." My mom motions for me to join her and Wolfgang, who brings the designer over to us.

"Darling, this is Arabella Knight, and she's a famous designer from Paris, and her designs are just fabulous!"

"Nice to meet you," I say, shaking Arabella's hand.

"My pleasure," she says back, "You did very well at the fashion show. You're following in your mother's footsteps, no?"

I laugh, shaking my head. "I don't think I want to model full time like my mother did."

"But would you be interested in modeling at another show?" Arabella tilts her head at me, giving me a smile.

"I mean, I don't know. If Megan had another show, I would totally model if she asked me to."

"You're very supportive of your friends then, huh? Not so much modeling." Arabella laughs.

My mother gives me a curious glance. "Well, Cassidy wouldn't completely rule out modeling, and that's the most important part."

Wolfgang nods. "You have a lot of potential, Cassidy. You are fabulous on the runway! I bet a lot of agencies would love to sign you."

I laugh, before excusing myself from the conversation. "That's nice of you to say, Wolfgang. I'll talk to you guys later!"

Megan and Becca grab me as soon as I head over to the dance floor again, and I am swept up in another hour of dancing, giggling, and excited chatter.

It is 1:00 when we leave the dance club, and we all pile into the limo to head back to our hotel. We only have one more day in Hong Kong before we have to leave, and it is bittersweet as I stare out at the beautiful cityscape, all glowing and colorful with tall skyscrapers lining the skyline.

There's writing everywhere, advertisements and the names of stores and hotels filling the streets, but there's no one on the street in the middle of the night.

The usually busy, smoggy city is quiet for once, and I can almost spot a few stars in the sky.

I glance over into the limo, my eyes adjusting to the dark interior of the car. Jess and Emma are fast asleep on their mom's shoulders, and Megan is quietly finger through her sketchbook.

Becca is talking quietly with her mom, and the entire atmosphere is calm, unhurried, and fluid.

A beautiful indigo haze drifts across the night sky, and for once, I feel at peace after hours of chaos during the show, and I can feel my eyes start to close as my head begins to feel heavier.

I finally succumb to my exhaustion, and as the clock ticks to 2:00, I am fast asleep, the entire day's activities taking their final toll.

…

"Cassidy!"

I feel my mother's light shaking, and she taps my shoulder, whispering.

I groan, groggily opening my eyes. My mom motions for me to follow her out of the limo, and I sleepily walk after her, careful to not disturb the other sleeping girls.

My mom and I go into the elevator and head up to our floor, my eyes wanting to close as every minute passes.

The usually quiet ding of the elevator jolts me awake as we reach our floor, and I groan, mumbling quietly about the unfairness of exhaustion and loud elevator noises.

My mom gives a quiet chuckle, but she remains composed and not at all groggy as we walk to our room.

"How do you do it? Seriously Mom, you're like Superwoman or something."

She laughs, rubbing my back as we walk together. "You used to keep me up until four in the morning, honey. I remember just laying on my bed and listening to you cry for hours. As a mother, you get used to late nights after a while."

"Of course," I grumble.

We walk into our room, and I flop on the bed, completely exhausted.

It doesn't take long before I'm completely asleep, not bothering to take off the dress I was wearing.

Megan will probably have my head for wrinkling it, but at this point I'm much too tired to care.

The last thing I hear is the rustling of my mom climbing into her bed, and soon, it is morning again.

"Cassidy! You have to wake up again! We have a surprise for you girls." My mom shakes my shoulder again, and I feel a sense of déjà-vu as we head out the door.

The rest of the group is eating breakfast by the time we arrive, and I grab a blueberry muffin and an orange juice and sit down at the girls' table.

"Do you know where we're going?" I say, my mouth full of the muffin.

Megan gives me a look, but replies anyway. "My mom says that we're doing something fun and relaxed, since we're leaving tomorrow. What exactly it's going to be, she didn't say."

We spend some time chatting and eating the rest of our breakfast, and my mom comes over to us, clapping her hands together.

"Alright ladies! Let's get into our car and go to our surprise destination!"

We all pile into the car, and the drive to our destination is pretty quick.

I crane my head, looking out the window.

Suddenly, I hear Megan shriek. "I know where we're going! It's Disneyland!"

Mrs. Wong nods, her face lighting up with a smile. "We thought you girls deserved to have a nice day at Disneyland before we left Hong Kong, so we decided this would be the perfect place to go!"

We all cheer as we pull into the amusement park, and I can hardly contain my excitement as we park and head towards the entrance.

Hong Kong's Disneyland is much smaller than California's but I'm still excited when I hear about the attractions.

"We are definitely going on Hyperspace Mountain," I say, "That's my absolute favorite ride."

Becca nods. "Totally. I went on that ride like five times the last time I went to Disneyland."

My mom grimaces as I mention Hyperspace Mountain. She shudders as she remembers the "big thrill" ride, and I laugh.

"Honey, that ride was bit…much."

"But it's fun!" I say, giggling, "And we are all going on it!"

My mom's eyebrows knit together, her perfectly curled hair falling over her shoulders.

There's no more time for her to worry though, since we reach the official entrance. Handing out our tickets, they are put through a machine, then given back to us.

We push through the gates into the park, and my eyes light up.

The first thing we are greeted with is the Main Street Station Train as it chugs by, a group of overly excited kids craning their heads out of each car and waving at us.

We wave back, and continue to walk into the park.

"Alright, guys," Mrs. Wong says, her trusty map in her hands. "Where do we want to go first?"

"Oh!" Mrs. Hawthorne grabs her phone, scrolling through her apps. "I think I got the app for Hong Kong Disneyland that tells us wait times."

She opens the app, and scrutinizes the various rides.

"I think Astroblasters might be fun," Jess says.

I nod vigorously. "Totally! Astroblasters is one of the best rides!"

Mrs. Hawthorne glances at her phone and smiles. "Perfect. The wait is only ten minutes."

Mrs. Wong nods. "Alright, we'll be going for straight for a bit longer, and then we'll take a right. It should be there if my map reading is correct," she says, glancing at her map one more time. "And it always is!"

We laugh as we head towards the ride, and I look at all the happy children frolicking around. Disneyland is going to be so fun!

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Leave a review and tell me what you thought! **


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